The Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group, Dr. Umaru Kwairanga, says investors’ confidence is built on sound regulation, credible governance, transparency, market integrity and infrastructure that allows transactions to take place efficiently.
He said this while speaking at Nigeria Investment Forum 2026 with the theme, ” Connecting Capital to Opportunity: Investing in Africa’s Next Frontier,”
He posited that at
Nigerian Exchange Group, they see themselves as part of a broader national ecosystem for capital formation and economic growth, adding that the role of NGX extends beyond providing a marketplace where securities are traded..
He pointed out that it is about helping to create an environment in which businesses can access long-term financing, investors can participate in credible opportunities and savings can be channeled towards productive sectors of the economy.
Achieving this, Kwairanga, said depends fundamentally on investor confidence..
Capital, he said moves towards opportunity, but it remains where investors have confidence in the institutions and systems supporting their investments and that investors in considering where to invest must weigh risk and return.
According to him, “Nigeria’s country risk profile is considerably lower than it was three years ago while the returns available remain some of the highest in the world and they are sustainable.
“Nigeria’s abundance of natural resources whether in crude oil, solid minerals and fertile land and climate suitable for large scale agriculture combined with its large, young hardworking population make it one of the twenty first century’s economic growth engines,” he said.
Nigeria’s story, Kwairanga pointed out used to be one of immense potential with rudderless leadership but that is changing,adding that the country’s potential remains huge but it is now underpinned by a stable democracy and a business-minded leadership that is committed to supporting the private sector and welcoming to foreign investment.
Forums such as this, he said are valuable because they move the conversation beyond simply telling Nigeria’s investment story as they also provide an opportunity for direct engagement with the investors and institutions that can participate in the country’s growth.
He posited that international investors have an important role in this journey and that foreign capital brings more than financing; as it can also bring expertise, technology, global networks, institutional Idiscipline and access to international markets.
NGX, he said is leveraging on the favourable business environment and the support of government to build a robust and thriving capital market,stressing that in the last couple of years, NGX has grown market capitalisation as well as trading volumes and values.
According to him, “We have onboarded millions of new investors through our trading licence holders marketing and digital innovations such as NGX Invest which is an efficient portal for primary offers. We have welcomed more enterprises to a listing on the Nigerian Exchange. The latest of these is the ongoing Dangote Refinery Initial Public Offer which is setting records for capital raised and number of subscribers on the African continent.”
The Nigerian Exchange, informed has proved itself as a robust platform for capital raising and generating good returns for savvy investors, adding that they are therefore valuable because they move the conversation beyond simply telling Nigeria’s investment story.
“We remain committed to playing our part. We believe that a strong capital market is not an end in itself. Its value lies in what it enables: businesses to grow, savings to become productive investment, infrastructure to be financed, ownership to broaden and economic opportunities to reach more people,” he said.
The theme of the Forum, “Connecting capital to opportunity is ultimately about connecting investment to the real economy, it is about creating the conditions for capital to finance productive enterprise, enabling businesses to grow and ensuring that investment translates into jobs, innovation, productivity and sustainable economic value.
Nigeria, he noted has opportunities that merit global attention and that it is the collective responsibility of all Nigerian continue strengthening the institutions, markets and partnerships that can transform those opportunities into investable and scalable propositions.
“We therefore invite global investors to be part of the growth story of Nigeria through the Nigerian Exchange. For venture capital, private equity and other institutional investors, there are tremendous opportunities in infrastructure financing, solid minerals development, large scale agriculture, fintech and tourism development.
“We have desk officers at the Exchange who are ready to answer any questions you may have and link you up with trusted local partners. For individual investors we invite you to invest in over three hundred securities listed on our premium and main boards, most of which are doing well and generating returns in the form of capital appreciation and dividends for discerning investors.
” We have over one hundred and fifty investment firms who are active trading licence holders of the Nigerian Exchange. They are staffed by experienced professionals and equipped with the latest market technology and able to guide you through how to invest in Nigerian financial assets and commodities,” he said
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