The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama, has called for stronger collaboration between regulators and academics to strengthen the capital market.
He made the call on Tuesday at the Second Biennial Conference of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (CMAN) in Abuja with the theme, ‘The Nigerian Capital Market as a Catalyst for Equitable and Inclusive Growth.’
He believes that evidence-based policymaking is critical to strengthening Nigeria’s capital market and promoting inclusive economic growth.
He said sound regulation depends on rigorous research capable of addressing the evolving needs of Nigeria’s financial markets.
“I have long believed that good regulation begins with good thinking. The policies we make at the Securities and Exchange Commission are only ever as strong as the evidence and the ideas that inform them,” he said.
According to Agama, research generated through academic conferences, journals and peer-reviewed studies provides the foundation for evidence-based regulation capable of responding to the changing dynamics of the financial market.
He said the Commission regards academics as strategic partners whose ideas can shape policies that strengthen investor confidence and support market development.
Agama noted that Nigeria’s capital market is undergoing significant reforms following the enactment of the Investments and Securities Act, 2025, and the implementation of a new 10-year Capital Market Master Plan.
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He said the reforms require rigorous research, constructive scrutiny and honest debate to ensure regulatory policies remain responsive to emerging realities and aligned with global best practices.
The SEC boss also commended CMAN for choosing a conference theme centred on equitable and inclusive growth, describing it as timely and relevant to Nigeria’s economic development agenda.
He urged participants to ensure that their deliberations produce practical recommendations capable of influencing policymaking and improving market operations.
“The Commission’s door is open to evidence, to challenge and to fresh ideas, wherever they may lead. The finest measure of these two days will not be the sessions we hold, but the policies and the practices they go on to shape,” Agama said.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the academic community to advance knowledge, strengthen regulation and support the sustainable development of Nigeria’s capital market.
In his remarks, the President of CMAN, Uche Uwaleke, called for stronger collaboration between academia and the financial services industry, saying closer partnerships are essential to deepening Nigeria’s financial markets and accelerating economic growth.
Uwaleke said Nigeria possesses abundant intellectual capacity within its universities and extensive practical expertise across its financial institutions but lacks a structured framework to connect both sectors for national development.
He said countries with resilient financial systems have succeeded by fostering continuous collaboration among universities, regulators, government agencies and industry players.
Describing CMAN as Nigeria’s leading financial markets think tank, Uwaleke said the association was established to ensure that academic research goes beyond scholarly publications to provide practical solutions to the country’s economic challenges.
He urged the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to recognise industry experience alongside academic publications in the appointment and promotion of lecturers in professionally oriented disciplines such as banking, finance, insurance, accounting and capital market studies.
He also recommended that universities recruit accomplished retired bankers, investment professionals and capital market practitioners as adjunct lecturers to strengthen teaching and better prepare graduates for the workplace, while urging the NUC to reward such initiatives through its accreditation process.
Uwaleke further called on financial sector regulators, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, SEC, National Insurance Commission, National Pension Commission and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, to institutionalise structured sabbatical and research fellowship programmes for qualified academics.
He said such initiatives would enable scholars to undertake policy-oriented research while giving regulators access to independent expertise capable of improving policy formulation and regulatory effectiveness.
The CMAN president also proposed the establishment of a Financial Markets Research Partnership to be championed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Planning to commission research on national priorities such as capital market development, infrastructure finance, pension reforms, insurance penetration, financial inclusion and sustainable finance.
He also appealed to the National Assembly to support policies that encourage collaboration between universities and industry through incentives for financial institutions investing in research partnerships and university-based financial market research centres.
Uwaleke commended the SEC, Bank of Industry, Cowry Asset Management Limited and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers for already providing sabbatical opportunities to CMAN members.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to serving as a bridge between academia, government, regulators and industry through independent research, policy advice and intellectual support aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s financial system and driving sustainable economic transformation.
Alex is a business journalist cum data enthusiast with the Pinnacle Daily. He can be reached via ealex@thepinnacleng.com, @ehime_alex on X