By Aliyu Galadima
Foreign and domestic investors have called on the Nigerian government to address some issues to make investing in the country attractive to them.
They made this call at a strategic investment forum hosted at the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York, USA. The event was organized by the Central Bank of Nigeria ,CBN, in collaboration with Nigerian Exchange ,NGX, Group Plc, JPMorgan, and the African Private Capital Association ,AVCA.
The forum was put together to woo global capital and enhance investor’s confidence because it had in attendance leaders from the Nigerian diaspora, global investment institutions, and corporate executives.
While the investors welcomed Nigeria’s reform agenda, they emphasised that sustained confidence would require consistent foreign exchange ,FX, policies, lower transaction costs, reduced regulatory friction, clearer direction on non-oil revenue reforms, an improved ease of doing business, and continued transparency in monetary and fiscal communication.
The Governor of the CBN, Mr Yemi Cardoso, in a fireside chat with Nobel Prize-winning economist, Mr James Robinson, outlined Nigeria’s monetary policy direction, growth prospects, and efforts to deepen its financial markets.
He reaffirmed the CBN’s commitment to disciplined policy management, market-friendly reforms, and enhanced transparency to foster a stable, investor-friendly environment.
“We inherited a crisis of confidence, but we chose a different path. We’re not turning back”, Mr Cardoso declared.
He also stressed the importance of strong collaboration between regulators like the CBN, market operators such as NGX Group and Nigerians in diaspora, describing it as critical to building a resilient financial system and mobilizing long-term investments.
On his part, the chief executive of NGX Group, Mr Temi Popoola, who moderated a panel on how Nigeria’s reforms are repositioning the country as an increasingly attractive destination for global capital, said, “Today’s dialogue marks a pivotal step in reshaping global perceptions of Nigeria’s investment story”.
“The candid engagement between policymakers, market operators, and investors reflects the real progress Nigeria is making. NGX Group remains committed to supporting reforms that strengthen market structures, drive innovation, and accelerate economic growth”, he added.
