London, United Kingdom — The Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), Temi Popoola, has said Nigeria’s ongoing economic reforms are strengthening domestic capital formation and positioning the country for deeper global investment partnerships.
Popoola stated this while speaking at the Nigeria–United Kingdom Investment Roundtable organised by the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) in collaboration with the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council (CWEIC) in London.
According to him, the response of local investors and corporates to economic reforms is a key indicator of the effectiveness of policy changes.
“The real test of reforms is what local capital does and how domestic corporates respond,” Popoola said.
Drawing comparisons with countries such as Indonesia, Brazil, and India, he noted that economies that implemented structural reforms often experienced strong domestic capital mobilisation and improved corporate balance sheets.
He explained that Nigeria is currently witnessing a similar trend as local investors increasingly respond to policy reforms.
“In Nigeria today, local capital is playing a very strong role. Markets were up more than 50 per cent last year, issuers are raising new capital, retail investors are returning to the market, and corporate balance sheets and governance standards are improving,” he said.
Popoola also highlighted the strong capital market relationship between Nigeria and the United Kingdom, noting that collaboration between the Nigerian Exchange Group and the London Stock Exchange has facilitated cross-border capital raising opportunities for companies in both countries.
Looking ahead, he said Nigeria’s capital market is positioning itself to support larger transactions and broader wealth creation opportunities.
“We see a future where capital markets go beyond facilitating capital raising to supporting business expansion and wealth creation for Nigerians,” he added, noting that ongoing market modernisation and digital transformation initiatives are strengthening the country’s financial ecosystem.
Also speaking at the roundtable, Nigeria’s Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, highlighted the Federal Government’s reform agenda aimed at restoring macroeconomic stability, strengthening fiscal sustainability, and attracting long-term investments.
Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State emphasised Lagos’ role as one of Africa’s leading economic hubs. He spoke about the state government’s collaboration with TheCityUK to further develop Lagos as a global financial and investment centre.
Sanwo-Olu also invited participants to the upcoming Lagos Investment Forum scheduled to take place in June.
Earlier in her welcome remarks, the Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, Aisha Rimi, said the roundtable was designed to strengthen investment partnerships between Nigeria and the United Kingdom.
She was joined by Lord Marland of the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council, who emphasised the importance of collaboration between governments, investors, and private sector institutions in unlocking new investment opportunities across the Commonwealth.
The Nigeria–United Kingdom Investment Roundtable brought together policymakers, investors, and business leaders to explore opportunities for deeper investment collaboration between both countries as Nigeria continues to implement wide-ranging economic reforms.
