By Bassey Udo
Only upholding the highest level of professionalism and ethical conduct will ensure a fair and transparent market, the Securities and Exchange Commisison has told stockbrokers.
The Director General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama who stated this weekend during the 29th annual conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers in Abuja, said investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence.
Agama said the theme of this year’s conference: “Capital Markets in a Digital, Ethical, Sustainable Era: Pathways for Economic Transformation” was timely as it speaks directly to the global transition where technology drives innovation, ethics anchor trust, and sustainability defines the future of finance.
He noted that these three dimensions – digitalization, ethics, and sustainability – were not separate pillars, but the foundation of a modern, inclusive, and resilient capital markets.
“Across the world, capital markets are being reshaped by technological innovation. The digital era has introduced new possibilities – from online trading platforms and digital assets to data analytics, blockchain, and artificial intelligence. These innovations are changing how we raise capital, how we invest, and how we supervise,” he said.
The SEC Boss said the Commission has embraced the transformation as an opportunity to enhance efficiency, transparency, and investor protection, adding that ongoing efforts to strengthen market surveillance systems, automate regulatory processes, and introduce risk-based supervision frameworks were all aimed at positioning the Nigerian capital market for the realities of a digital economy.
The Commission, he said, was also actively engaging with stakeholders, including the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, to deepen digital literacy and capacity-building across the market, adding that as technology evolves, so must the skills, omethics, and shared commitment of the operators to fairness and professionalism.
“No amount of innovation can replace the foundational importance of ethics. A truly transformative capital market must be builton integrity, transparency, and accountability,” he said.
The CIS, he pointed out, has remained a key partner in setting professional standards and upholding the code of ethics that define the stockbroking profession.
As regulators, he said SEC has continued to emphasize that professionalism and ethical conduct were non-negotiable.
Therefore, he said investors must have full confidence that the intermediaries who manage their wealth are guided by the highest standards of honesty and competence.
“Together, the SEC and the CIS must continue to strengthen ethics education, continuous professional development, and disciplinary frameworks to ensure that the market remains a place of trust”. he maintained.
