Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said it is positioning artificial intelligence (AI), data analytics, and fintech integration at the centre of sweeping reforms aimed at expanding the country’s capital market and boosting retail investor participation to 20 million.
The Director-General of the SEC, Emomotimi Agama, disclosed this during the FSDH Investor Conference 2026 in Lagos, where he outlined the Commission’s ongoing efforts to modernise Nigeria’s investment ecosystem through technology-driven regulation and innovation.
According to him, the future of Nigeria’s capital market will be shaped by “intelligent investing,” a framework where data and AI systems play a central role in supporting investment decisions, improving regulatory oversight, and strengthening market confidence.
Agama explained that the SEC is implementing broad reforms to make the capital market more efficient, transparent, and accessible, particularly by deepening collaboration with fintech companies and digital financial platforms.
He said the Commission’s fintech-bank integration strategy aims to significantly expand market participation, targeting approximately 20 million retail investors across Nigeria. This push is expected to bring in small businesses, artisans, and low-income earners who have traditionally been excluded from formal investment systems.
The SEC stated that AI and data-driven tools will not replace human decision-making but will enhance regulatory supervision, improve risk detection, and support faster, more accurate market analysis.
Agama noted that the capital market reforms include developing advanced regulatory frameworks for digital assets, tokenised securities, faster settlement systems, and enhanced derivatives markets. These reforms are intended to align Nigeria’s financial infrastructure with global standards.
He further explained that artificial intelligence governance frameworks are being developed to ensure transparency, fairness, and accountability in the application of AI within the capital market. This includes ensuring that investors understand how decisions influenced by data systems are made.
The SEC also emphasised that strengthening investor confidence remains a core objective of the reforms. According to the Commission, improved data systems, better enforcement mechanisms, and enhanced financial literacy programmes will help build trust and deepen market participation.
Market analysts say integrating AI and fintech into Nigeria’s capital market could significantly improve efficiency, reduce fraud risk, and increase foreign investor interest, especially as global financial systems become more digitally driven.
The Commission added that collaboration among regulators, fintech companies, financial institutions, and investors will be critical to achieving a resilient, technology-driven capital market capable of supporting Nigeria’s long-term economic growth.
With the reforms still unfolding, the SEC says the focus remains on building a more inclusive, transparent, and innovation-led investment environment that can scale participation and modernise Nigeria’s financial ecosystem.
Senior AI Writer
Bio: Okikiola is a writer and AI enthusiast with a background in Office Technology and Management from the Federal Polytechnic Offa. She went further to study an MSc in International Business at De Montfort University (DMU). With extensive work experience across administrative and business roles, she now focuses on exploring how artificial intelligence can transform work, innovation, and everyday life.