The United Kingdom Government says it is committed to supporting Nigeria to develop its thriving capital markets and sees its Mobilising Institutional Capital Through Listed Product Structures (MOBILIST) programme as a strong basis for collaboration with Nigeria's financial sector.
It says Nigeria's capital market can help contribute to the delivery of the country's economic goals, including the ambition to transition to clean energy solutions, but needs around $10 billion in financing per year to meet the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030.
This was made known on Tuesday at two MOBILIST events hosted by the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) and the British Deputy High Commission (BDHC) in Lagos.
The UK underlined its commitment to work with Nigeria to enable private capital mobilisation at scale.
The events in the Nigeria's financial hub brought together stakeholders from across the finance community, including representatives of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and pension fund industry, to discuss opportunities to solve some of the principal barriers to increasing investment in the SDGs via public markets.
This week's events came after former UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly's visit to Nigeria last year and his participation in the launch of the partnership between MOBILIST and NGX intended to catalyse greater investment in the SDGs via new investment structures listed on the exchange.
MOBILIST provides investment capital in the form of equity as well as technical assistance to overcome barriers and enable the listing of pioneering products that can mobilise institutional capital at scale to deal with the twin challenges of development and the climate transition. MOBILIST also offers extensive research and policy advocacy support to highlight obstacles and enhance the environment for issuers, investors, and intermediaries.
According to the organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, OECD, the African continent needs additional financing of about $194 billion annually to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.
To close this financing gap, OECD said it cannot be achieved without mobilising private investment at scale and enhanced collaboration between capital market stakeholders, multi-lateral development banks, development finance institutions and policymakers.
British Deputy High Commissioner Jonny Baxter, while delivering his remarks at the event, said: "The UK government is committed to supporting Nigeria in the continued development of its capital market to help deliver the country's economic goals, including its ambitions to transition to clean energy solutions.
"A liquid and well-regulated capital market benefits the entire economy by enabling companies to raise capital to fund their expansion, which in turn helps deliver crucial development, job opportunities and improved incomes.
"MOBILIST's focus on stimulating the creation of innovative listed products can make a unique and impactful contribution to achieving these objectives."
In his goodwill remarks, the Chairman, NGX, Ahonsi, Unuigbe, highlighted the need for addressing barriers hindering public listings through collaborative discussions. In his words: "The discussions we have today are crucial as we address barriers hindering public listings and explore actionable solutions. By overcoming these obstacles, we can unlock the full potential of our capital market, enabling more businesses to access the funding they need to grow and thrive. Some of these obstacles are significant such as regulatory challenges, high listing costs, and market volatility.
He added, "An enhanced and efficient listing process will democratise access to capital, nurturing a vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystem, particularly businesses dedicated to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), can flourish."
MOBILIST Programme Lead at the FCDO, Ross Ferguson said: "MOBILIST is the expression of the UK's conviction that public markets have a underutilised but potentially critical role in financing sustainable development at scale by mobilising private capital to flow where it is needed most - to the firms that are going to contribute most to solving developmental challenges and help deliver a fair and orderly climate transition for Nigeria.
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"We are committed to deepening our relationships in the Nigerian market as we seek to help position Nigeria's capital markets at the forefront of these efforts."
Earlier in his welcome address, the Ag CEO of NGX, Jude Chiemeka, emphasized the impact of the partnership with MOBILIST.
He stated: "Our partnership with MOBILIST is geared towards advancing market efficiency, sustainability reporting, and integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. This event represents a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance the performance and deepening of Nigeria's capital market by promoting sustainable capital flows and enhancing listing diversity.
Tbe discussions from today are poised to yield actionable insights on how we can collectively catalyse economic growth through the capital market. By harnessing the potential of our capital market, we can unlock new opportunities for funding businesses, fostering entrepreneurship, and ultimately driving sustainable development across Nigeria".
