SEC urges women on wealth creation
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has called for stronger efforts to move Nigerian women entrepreneurs away from short-term financing towards long-term wealth creation through the capital market. Director-General of
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has called for stronger efforts to move Nigerian women entrepreneurs away from short-term financing towards long-term wealth creation through the capital market.
Director-General of the Commission, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, who was represented by Executive Commissioner, Operations, Mr. Bola Ajomale, made the call at the grand finale of the “Give to Gain” Summit in Abuja held to mark the 2026 International Women’s Month.
Agama said although Nigerian women are highly active in business, many remain excluded from investment opportunities that could help them grow their enterprises and build lasting wealth.
He noted that women dominate a significant portion of Nigeria’s micro-business sector but lack access to financial instruments that support expansion and asset ownership.
According to him, “Nigerian women currently own 41 percent of micro-businesses in this country, with 23 million female entrepreneurs operating in that segment — placing Nigeria among the highest rates of female entrepreneurship globally, surpassing the 21 percent global average.
“These women are not waiting to be empowered. They are already driving commerce. What they lack is not ambition. They lack access to the instruments that would allow their ambition to compound.”
To address this gap, the SEC boss said the Commission is introducing measures to make the capital market more accessible, especially to women and first-time investors. He explained that technology-driven platforms are being expanded to reduce entry barriers and make it easier for individuals to participate in investment opportunities.
He added that investor education programmes are being scaled up and delivered in local languages to improve financial literacy, particularly in underserved communities where many women are excluded from formal financial systems.
Agama also said the Commission is promoting affordable investment products designed for women and small business owners, allowing them to invest in collective schemes even with limited income. He further disclosed that gender considerations are being integrated into Nigeria’s sustainable finance framework, opening the door for women-led businesses to access funding through instruments such as gender-responsive and sustainability-linked securities.
He said efforts are ongoing to strengthen investor protection by improving transparency, enhancing disclosure standards, and providing accessible dispute resolution channels to build trust in the market.
Agama urged private sector stakeholders to support government initiatives by lowering barriers to entry, expanding financial services to underserved areas, and increasing women’s representation in corporate leadership.
In a related development, the Minister of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, said the Federal Government is moving beyond advocacy to practical programmes aimed at unlocking women’s economic potential.
She disclosed that more than 80 per cent of women-owned businesses in Nigeria do not have access to formal credit, a situation that keeps many of them in the informal sector and limits their growth.
To tackle this challenge, the minister announced the rollout of the Renewed Hope Social Impact Interventions across all 774 local government areas in the country. The programme is designed to provide grants, microcredit, and enterprise financing to women.
According to her, the initiative also includes skills acquisition, vocational training, support for agricultural value chains, clean energy solutions, and mentorship programmes to help women grow their businesses sustainably.
She explained that the intervention is supported by the Women’s Economic Empowerment Policy introduced in 2023, which provides a structured framework for measurable outcomes in women-focused programmes.
In addition, the minister announced the approval of an Affirmative Procurement Policy that will improve access for women-owned businesses to government contracts.
She said: “This landmark intervention ensures structured and equitable access for women-owned enterprises to participate in public procurement processes, thereby opening government contracting systems as engines of inclusion and shared prosperity.
“It represents a decisive shift from policy intention to enforceable economic access. In the spirit of our theme, ‘Give to Gain,’ it affirms that when the State deliberately gives women fair opportunity in procurement systems, the nation gains in productivity, competitiveness, and inclusive growth.”
