The Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Emomotimi Agama, said Nigeria could either leverage its demographic dividend or face increasing inequality by 2030.

Agama expressed his concern at the United Capital Asset Management Investment forum in Lagos on Wednesday, June 25.

He explained that the country needs to harness its demographic dividend to advance financial inclusion through investments by 2030 for national survival or face deepening inequality.

The ICIR reports that the demographic dividend refers to the economic growth potential that can result when a country’s population has a larger proportion of working-age individuals compared to dependents, children, and the elderly.

In his keynote address titled, ‘Advancing Financial Inclusion through Investments: Bridging
Nigeria’s Knowledge and Wealth Gap’, the SEC DG stressed that Nigeria must harness its demographic dividend to boost investment.

“Our theme, Advancing Financial Inclusion through Investments, is not aspirational; it is foundational to national survival.

“We stand at a pivotal moment. By 2030, Nigeria can either harness its demographic dividend or face deepening inequality. The knowledge-wealth gap is not merely an economic challenge; it is a moral imperative,” Agama said.

According to him, the term inclusion should be reframed as active financial involvement, where access meets empowerment, and capital becomes a tool for transformation.

He believes that closing the financial inclusion gap could lift 700,000 Nigerians from poverty.

“Nigeria has a great population, yet we have a tiny drop of this number of persons involved in the capital market. That’s one reason for poverty, because we are running from money. We have to do something. Our market capitalisation is an opportunity to do something, we all have.

“We need to change the narrative and move the market forward. We must reach out to make a difference. We are committed to protecting investors and developing the market. Our goal is to do the right thing no matter whose ox is gored. We will work by the principles of fairness and equity to change the market. We will provide a fair ground for everyone to aspire,” Agama said.

He noted that MTN Nigeria’s share offering drew 150,000 new investors – 75 per cent women, 85 per cent under the age of 40.

To bridge the gap, Agama recommended a four-pillar strategy, which includes democratisation of financial knowledge, catalysing MSME investment channels, blended finance vehicles, and partnership with the Bank of Industry (BOI) to de-risk loans for women-led SMEs.

“We need to educate people about finances. As we drive this market, we do so for a purpose. I encourage everyone to be the disciples and the apostles. Getting this market to move is a deliberate action,” Agama added.

The ICIR reported in the previous week that investors in the Nigerian stock market have gained nearly N10 trillion since the beginning of the year as the market capitalisation appreciated to over N70 trillion.

The positive sentiment has seen increasing participation of domestic investors, which in April accounted for approximately 83 per cent of total market transactions, significantly outweighing foreign investors’ participation, which stood at just 13 per cent, according to the Nigerian Exchange Limited’s latest data.