Nigeria Has Fundamentals To Build Leading African Exchange – Popoola  

The group managing director and chief executive officer of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc, Temi Popoola, has said Nigeria has the fundamentals to build one of Africa’s leading capital markets.

Speaking during a recent interview, Popoola said the Exchange’s ambition is to strengthen Nigeria’s position as a leading player on the continent by leveraging the country’s inherent strengths while deepening the capital market’s ability to connect businesses seeking long-term capital with investors.

“Our strategy is to build on Nigeria’s inherent strengths. We have a youthful, vibrant and increasingly upwardly mobile population with a strong entrepreneurial spirit. Coupled with the richness of our culture, these are enduring competitive advantages that position Nigeria to create greater value on the global stage,” Popoola said.

He said Nigeria’s growing base of established businesses provides a strong pipeline of companies capable of accessing the capital market to fund expansion, while increasing investor participation continues to deepen the market.

According to him, you can think of it as a supply and demand conversation. There is a supply of very good companies that want to raise capital on the Exchange and a demand from people who want to support those businesses and create wealth through the capital markets.

Popoola noted that strengthening this connection between capital and enterprise will be central to expanding the depth and competitiveness of Nigeria’s capital market and positioning it among the leading exchanges in Africa.

He also identified artificial intelligence (AI), energy and agriculture as sectors expected to underpin Nigeria’s next phase of economic growth, noting that capital should increasingly be directed towards industries capable of addressing the country’s long-term development priorities.

“Artificial intelligence is undoubtedly one of the defining technologies of the future,” Popoola said. “At the same time, sectors such as energy and agriculture remain fundamental to Nigeria’s long-term prosperity because they address some of our most important development priorities.”

He added that Nigeria’s growing influence in the creative economy presents another opportunity to unlock value, noting that the evolution of the capital market must keep pace with innovation across the broader economy.

Beyond finance, Popoola encouraged young Nigerians to embrace continuous learning, adaptability and innovation, noting that a nation’s long-term prosperity is ultimately driven by the ingenuity, resilience and ambition of its people.

“I believe anything is possible. Your brain continues to evolve, and as long as you have the desire to achieve something, combined with optimism and the ability to dream, you can accomplish far more than you imagine,” he said.