Osinbajo, Saraki, others to brainstorm on capital market development

The Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki; the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara; and the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, among others, will on July 23 join federal legislators, capital market experts, bank chief executives and others at the second biennial stakeholders’ forum on how to further develop the nation’s capital market.

The event being organised by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Capital Market and Institutions, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other regulatory agencies will hold at Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Abuja.

According to the Chairman of the House of Representatives Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, Hon. TeeJay Yusuf, the theme of this year’s conference is “Capital Market as a Catalyst for Economic Growth and Development.”

While Osinbajo is coming as the chief guest of honour, both Saraki and Dogara are to act as the chief hosts.

Top private sector personalities including leading industrialist, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Chairman of Heirs Holdings, Mr. Tony Elumelu; Chairman, Coronation Capital, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imohkuede; and the Group Managing Director of Access Bank, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, are expected to grace the event.

Other dignitaries expected at the event include the Ministers of Agriculture, Economic Planning, Trade and Investment and Works, Power and Housing, as well as state governors including Rivers, Kebbi, Kaduna, Sokoto, Bauchi, Lagos and Nasarawa.

Also, heads of critical public institutions, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and PENCOM are expected to participate actively in the cross-fertilisation of ideas that can lead to massive changes in funding arrangements for national infrastructure projects.

Others expected to ensure excellent and workable recommendations at the event include the Acting Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms.Mary Uduk; CEO of NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema; MD NASD Mr. Bola Ajomale; MD FMDQ Mr. Bola Onadele; MD of ARISE Africa News Channel, Ms. Ijeoma Nwogwugwu; the DG, Budget Office, Mr. Ben Akabueze; DG of Debt Management Office, Ms. Patience Oniha; MD Nigeria Commodity Exchange, Mrs. Zaheera Baba-Ari; former Minister of Finance, Dr. Shamsudeen Usman, and other technocrats.

Papers to be presented and vibrantly discussed by economic development experts and political office holders from various parties include one on “Post Recession: Challenges, Implications and Opportunities for the Nigerian Capital Market”.

The first edition of the forum in 2016 was a very successful bi-partisan event co-chaired by the President of Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, and Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imokhuede.

Others are on the role of Commodity Exchange, development of the agricultural sector and capital market options for funding the development of major infrastructure projects