By Bassey Udo
Cultivating financial literacy is not merely an academic subject, but a life skill and survival tool in today’s complex and rapidly evolving economy, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has said.
The Director General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, stated this in Abuja, Tuesday.at the handing over ceremony of the revised National Universities Commission’s (NUC) Curriculum on Securities and Investment Management(SIM) by the SEC-appointed Committee of Experts from the capital Market and academia.
Agama said the important engagement, signified not only institutional collaboration, but also the collective resolve to build a solid foundation for sustainable financial empowerment in Nigeria.
“Our gathering today goes beyond policy harmonization or curriculum design. It is about shaping the financial mindset of future generations, equipping young Nigerians with the tools to make informed choices and contribute meaningfully to our development.
“Financial literacy determines how individuals earn, save, invest, and build wealth. It also influences how they engage with the financial system, ensuring they are not left behind in an increasingly digital and knowledge-driven economy,” he said.
The SEC, he maintained, remains deeply committed to embedding financial inclusion as a cornerstone of national development, beginning with education, where knowledge and values are first formed.
The SEC DG disclosed that the collaboration with the National Universities Commission (NUC) represents a strategic leap forward; a deliberate and forward-looking effort to integrate financial education into Nigeria’s national curriculum from the primary through to the secondary levels.
This initiative, he pointed out, recognizes that financial discipline and awareness are best nurtured early, when curiosity is highest and habits are still forming, adding that early intervention was key to producing responsible, confident, and financially empowered citizens.
He noted that the pilot implementation of the scheme in Nasarawa and Ibadan have yielded encouraging results, reflecting strong adaptability, enthusiasm, and measurable impact among teachers and students alike.
These early successes, he said, affirm that when given the right tools and guidance, Nigerian youth could quickly understand and apply concepts such as saving, investing, budgeting, and responsible financial decision-making.
Beyond imparting knowledge, the SEC chief said the effort was about empowerment, and giving young people the confidence to participate productively in financial and capital markets, adding that as the apex regulator of the capital market, the SEC’s dual mandate to protect investors and deepen the market could not be achieved in isolation from an informed, financially literate populace.
Agama, who was represented by Executive Commissioner (Operations), Mr. Bola Ajomale, said embedding financial education into the national curriculum was investing in human capital, the most critical driver of sustainable, inclusive, and resilient economic growth.
He acknowledged the pivotal role played by the NUC in harmonizing academic standards, ensuring that learning outcomes remained relevant to the evolving dynamics of our economy.
This partnership, he noted, strengthens the bridge between education and enterprise, between classroom theory and the financial realities of everyday life.
Agama noted that the SEC envisions a Nigeria where every student, regardless of background or region, understands the value of money, the principles of investment, and the discipline of financial planning.
Besides, he said he sees a Nigeria where financial inclusion was not a distant aspiration, but a lived experience that begins in the classroom and translates into responsible citizenship and national prosperity.
“This initiative could not have come at a more opportune time. As our nation pursues the goal of building a trillion-dollar economy, anchored on innovation, knowledge, and inclusive growth, financial literacy will be one of the strongest pillars supporting that ambition.
“The SEC remains committed to sustaining this momentum, through ongoing support for curriculum development, teacher training, resource provision, and stakeholder collaboration across all levels of education. We will continue to work closely with all relevant stakeholders to ensure that the lessons and successes from the pilot states are scaled nationwide.
“Together, we can institutionalize a financial literacy framework that not only empowers the youth but also strengthens the moral and economic fabric of our society” he added.
In his remarks, the Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Uche Uwaleke disclosed that the Committee was tasked with the responsibility of reviewing and expanding the existing curriculum to reflect these developments with a view to making appropriate recommendations to the NUC that would ensure that Nigerian universities not only aligned with global trends, but also equip our students with the knowledge and competencies required to thrive in a modern capital market environment.
Also He said the Committee was equally mandated to design and recommend to the NUC, a Basic Course in Capital Market Studies to be taken by all first-year students across Nigerian universities.
This initiative, he said, was inspired by the recognition that awareness and understanding of the capital market remained relatively low, especially among young Nigerians.
By introducing this foundational course, he said, the aim was to promote early exposure, foster capital market literacy, and ultimately deepen financial inclusion, which are the key pillars of the SEC’s developmental mandate.
Prof. Uwaleke said the Committee’s work was guided by a strong sense of purpose and collaboration.
In its recommendations, the Committee proposed to the Federal Ministry of Education that this basic foundational course in capital studies be extended beyond universities to all tertiary institutions — including polytechnics and colleges of education — so that the culture of investment awareness and financial literacy could be mainstreamed across all segments of our educational system.
Uwaleke expressed optimism that the implementation of the committee’s report would mark a major milestone in building a financially literate generation and in strengthening the foundation for a vibrant, inclusive, and globally competitive Nigerian capital market.
