By ebosele@hotmail.com. –
Nigeria’s capital market is consolidating its position as a structured gateway to the African market, driven by macroeconomic reforms, expanding digital platforms and growing investor participation, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Group, Mr. Temi Popoola, has said.
Popoola spoke at a Pan-African Investment Lounge hosted by Radiant Collective Capital (RCC), where he delivered a presentation titled “Global Economic Outlook 2026 & Overview of the Nigerian Stock Exchange: Opportunities and Market Structure.” The virtual event brought together women professionals, founders and business leaders from across Africa and the diaspora.
According to Popoola, Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms are beginning to translate into concrete investment opportunities, particularly for women and diaspora investors. Reflecting on the country’s 2025 adjustment phase, he noted that while the period was challenging, the reforms were necessary and have helped improve price discovery and lay the groundwork for more sustainable growth in 2026.
He cited the NGX All-Share Index’s 51.19 per cent gain in 2025 as evidence of growing market strength, stressing that the performance was driven by improved corporate earnings, dividend consistency and economic reforms, rather than speculative trading.
“Capital is becoming increasingly selective globally. What we are seeing in Nigeria is a market that has embraced reforms, strengthened transparency and invested in resilient infrastructure,” Popoola said. “The focus is on building an investable platform that supports long-term economic growth.”
Popoola also emphasised the importance of inclusive participation in strengthening market resilience, noting the rising number of women among new retail investors. He referenced a recent telecommunications public offer in which women accounted for 76 per cent of over 110,000 new investor accounts, explaining that broader participation supports healthier markets through longer investment horizons, disciplined capital accumulation and more risk-aware decision-making.
“Women don’t just participate in markets; they help stabilise them,” he added.
Looking ahead to 2026, the NGX Group CEO outlined five key pillars shaping Nigeria’s investment landscape. These include global geopolitical shifts creating alternative supply-chain opportunities; improving macroeconomic stability with projected GDP growth of 4.4 per cent; renewed foreign portfolio investment driven by enhanced transparency and attractive yields; closer alignment between fiscal and monetary policy; and improved asset utilisation through new listings and infrastructure-linked investment instruments.
He further noted that technology, sustainability and strategic partnerships will increasingly drive market growth. Digital platforms such as NGX Invest, he said, are expanding access and transparency in the primary market, while ESG-linked initiatives, including the NGX Net-Zero project, are strengthening long-term market resilience and risk management.
Popoola added that partnerships with regulators and key market stakeholders remain critical to sustaining investor confidence.
The engagement, he said, sets the stage for deeper collaboration between NGX Group and women-led investment networks across Africa. He disclosed that NGX Group plans to build on the momentum with targeted investor education initiatives in 2026, focusing on digital market access, sector-specific opportunities and structured pathways for diaspora investment.
