Sustainable Finance Will Attract Growth, Development – SEC

Director general of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Mr. Lamido Yuguda has said Nigeria is positioned to embrace sustainable finance principles and attract investment for the continent’s much needed growth and development.

He made the remarks at a lecture to mark the commemoration of the IOSCO World Investor week with the theme: Investor Resilience and Sustainable Finance, according to a statement that was issued by the commission yesterday.

The IOSCO World Investor Week is an annual event coordinated by IOSCO, which encourages its members, securities regulators around the world, to commemorate in their respective jurisdictions for the purpose of promoting investor education and protection.

Yuguda who was represented by SEC’s executive commissioner operations, Mr. Dayo Obisan said IOSCO places high value on investor protection and the environment, especially in the context of COVID-19 pandemic and other challenges such as inflationary pressures, uncertainties occasioned by geopolitical tensions, and continued environmental degradation

“Indeed, the themes, undoubtedly, further place emphasis on the universal call for sustainable finance and its resultant economic growth and development. There is no doubt therefore that all jurisdictions must think of transiting from exploiting nature to restoring nature.

“It is worthy of note that SEC through the market development department has done well to outline robust activities for the week long global events,” he stated.

The SEC boss said sustainable finance has evolved as a global concept, and the world firmly stands together to promote the transition to a low-carbon, more resource efficient economy towards building a financial system that incentivises sustainable growth across nations.