The Nigeria Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has kicked off its first Regulator/FinTech Clinic to boost collaboration with the country’s booming fintech sector, balancing innovation, compliance, and investor safeguards.
Held on Tuesday, the event underscores a collaborative push in one of Africa’s top innovation hubs. Director General of SEC, Emomotimi Agama, opened by stressing the need for adaptable regulations that evolve with tech advances, noting Nigeria’s fintech boom has expanded financial access but demands strong oversight.
He highlighted SEC’s track record since 2018—creating a FinTech unit, launching innovation facilitators, and drafting targeted rules—bolstered by the new Investments and Securities Act 2025. The clinic’s goals: clarify the regulatory landscape, discuss operator pitfalls, and promote compliance from the start to avoid costly errors.
Agama framed it as a supportive space, not adversarial, aligning innovation with integrity, growth with governance, and tech with trust. He referenced updates like the 2021 Crowdfunding rules and urged embedding safeguards, especially for retail investors navigating complex digital products.
In a keynote, SEC Executive Commissioner Bola Ajomale noted digital assets’ appeal to youth, warning of risks like unregistered platforms. He affirmed SEC’s engagement with over 500 firms to craft fitting frameworks while upholding investor protection, fair markets, and capital formation.
