Kelechukwu Mgboji 
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reaffirmed its commitment to fostering the growth of Nigeria’s digital assets industry, offering assurances to stakeholders of the necessary regulatory frameworks to drive innovation, wealth creation, and economic development.
Speaking over the weekend in Lagos, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, Director General of the SEC, emphasised the Commission’s measured approach to nurturing this burgeoning sector.
“It is essential that we exercise patience in bringing all interested parties into the fold, ensuring we collectively chart the course for this industry’s growth,” Agama stated.
With over 80 per cent of the population expressing interest in digital assets, the government’s involvement is both significant and crucial.
Agama underscored the government’s dual role in promoting innovation while safeguarding investors, noting, “as government interest in digital assets intensifies, there is an inherent duty to protect investors entering this space.”
SEC, in its developmental capacity, is dedicated to advancing the market while simultaneously upholding investor protections.
As part of this effort, the Commission is ramping up investor education initiatives to equip participants with the knowledge necessary to make informed decisions. “Investor education is critical—individuals must understand that every investment carries inherent risks.
It is the SEC’s responsibility to ensure that these risks are transparent so that investors make decisions with full awareness,” SEC remarked. Agama highlighted the Commission’s pioneering regulatory approach to digital assets, recognising blockchain’s potential to revolutionise capital markets.
He noted the introduction of the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP) and the Regulatory Incubation (RI) Programme, which aim to support firms in the digital assets sector.
