Abubakar Y. Zakariya, Abuja
As a country with abundant natural and human resources, Nigeria has been identified as better positioned to attract investments through sustainable finance principles for the much needed Africa’s growth and development.
This was stated by the Director General (DG) of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr. Lamido Yuguda, during a lecture to mark the commemoration of the IOSCO World Investor Week with the theme: Investor Resilience and Sustainable Finance, in Abuja.
The IOSCO World Investor Week is an annual event coordinated by IOSCO, which encourages its members, securities regulators, around the world to commemorate in their respective jurisdictions for the purpose of promoting investor education and protection.
Yuguda who was represented by the SEC’s Executive Commissioner Operations, Mr. Dayo Obisan, stated that the theme for this year’s WIW, ‘Investor Resilience’ and ‘Sustainable Finance’, demonstrates the high value IOSCO places on investor protection and the environment, especially in the context of the global pandemic and other challenges such as inflationary pressures, uncertainties occasioned by geopolitical tensions, and continued environmental degradation.
According to him, “Indeed the themes undoubtedly further place emphasis on the universal call for sustainable finance and its resultant economic growth and development. There is no doubt therefore that all jurisdictions must think of transiting from exploiting nature to restoring nature.
“It is worthy of note that SEC through the market development department has done well to outline robust activities for the week long global events”.
The SEC Boss said sustainable finance has evolved as a global concept, and the world firmly stands together to promote the transition to a low-carbon, more resource efficient economy towards building a financial system that incentivises sustainable growth across nations.
“World over, issuers and investors are embracing the idea of sustainable investing and environment friendly projects, hence the
significant surge in sustainable investment within the last few years,
which is apparently driven mainly by investors’ desire for a cleaner,
healthier and more equitable future.
“The Commission, as a Regulator, is very much aware of its critical role in ensuring that the financial sector is steered towards green investments through its policies and regulations,” he noted.
