The chief executive officer of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), Mr. Temi Popoola has re-emphasised the capacity of NGX in advancing sustainable development and combat climate change by fostering the growth of long-term sustainable finance.
Celebrating World Environment Day, Popoola, in a statement said, as the sustainable exchange championing Africa’s growth, NGX has a long-standing commitment to fostering the growth of long-term sustainable finance in Nigeria and across Africa.
He noted that securities exchanges are uniquely positioned at the heart of the financial industry, facilitating the effective and efficient allocation of resources for the purpose of economic growth and development, saying, the convening power of securities exchanges also positions these outstanding institutions as a driving force for change.
He pointed out that, “amidst the unfortunate loss of lives and the associated economic downturn brought by the COVID-19 pandemic, the global capital market offered some respite through innovative financial solutions such as the COVID-19 bonds that are actively helping the global economic recovery.”
He explained that, “this year’s World Environment Day creates an opportunity for reflection. We need to reflect on the collective challenges we face in preserving the only place we know as our home and start to make decisions that put social and environmental benefits at the core of our individual activities and business operations.
“We have ‘Only one Earth’ and we all have a part to play in preserving it. The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that our activities as individuals and businesses have an immediate impact on our loved ones, and on people all around the world. As we continue building back our lives and return business activities to normalcy, it is critical to rethink our model of growth.”
According to the CEO of NGX, “in recent years, we have seen tremendous growth in green bonds as well as other sustainable financial instruments which are designed to tackle the climate crisis. As a leading securities exchange in Africa, NGX helped develop
Africa’s first fully certified green bond, the debut Federal Government Sovereign N10.69 billion Green Bond. This is an area the Exchange has continued to play a leading role and will continue to with the support of all its stakeholders.
“As part of today’s celebration of the 2022 World Environment Day, we are set to make good our commitment to foster the growth of long-term finance in Nigeria by launching a dedicated platform for sustainable finance instruments.”
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