The Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Nigeria, Emomotimi Agama, has been elected Vice Chairman of the Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).
By this election, Agama will also serve on the IOSCO Board, the highest decision-making organ of the global securities regulatory body, until 2026. IOSCO, established in 1983, is recognized as the leading international policy forum for securities regulators, with members regulating more than 95 per cent of the world’s securities markets in over 100 jurisdictions.
In his acceptance speech, Agama expressed appreciation to AMERC members for the confidence reposed in him, describing his election as a commitment to strengthening capital markets in the Africa and Middle East region.
“It is with immense humility and a profound sense of duty that I accept my nomination as Vice Chairman of AMERC and Board Member of IOSCO. This is more than a personal honour. It is a mandate to transform our capital markets into engines of inclusive growth, innovation, and shared prosperity for Africa and the Middle East,” he said.
Agama outlined a reform agenda that included expanding listings by working with the African Financial Markets Initiative (AFMI) and sub-Saharan African exchanges to harmonize standards, reduce listing costs, and create cross-border linkages. He also called for pioneering regional market-making schemes and advocating pension fund reforms to channel domestic savings into productive investments.
On infrastructure financing, he stressed the importance of partnering with AFMI and development institutions to de-risk investments and attract global capital. However, he emphasized that with 70 per cent of Africa’s population under 30, empowering the youth must remain a priority.
He proposed retail investor programs to democratize market participation, fintech sandboxes to support youth-led innovation, and listings of high-growth startups to create wealth and employment.
On the growing relevance of digital assets, Agama noted that the sector represented a $10 trillion opportunity by 2030, urging Africa and the Middle East to lead in shaping its regulatory landscape.
“With our young, tech-savvy populations, Africa and the Middle East must lead, not follow. Through AMERC-IOSCO joint task forces, we will develop: Clear stable-coin regulations, frameworks for tokenized securities, investor protection standards for crypto assets, and we must balance innovation with stability, ensuring our markets are both dynamic and secure,” he stated.
Agama called on AMERC members to sustain mutual support and cooperation to advance investor protection, market development, and global economic stability. He added that the committee will work to launch a “Listings Growth Initiative” for SMEs, create a cross-border settlement system to boost liquidity, establish a Digital Assets Working Group, and develop capital markets literacy programs.
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