By Tony Obiechina, Abuja 

 As the 6th Edition of the World Investor Week (WIW) kicks off on Monday, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in collaboration with the Financial Literacy Technical Committee (FLTC) will join the rest of the world to celebrate the event. 

The global event is being coordinated by the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO).

The key message of the IOSCO WIW campaign for this year is based on two themes; “Investor Resilience; and Sustainable Finance”. 

The IOSCO WIW is an annual week-long global campaign which aims at promoting investor education and protection, as well as strengthening collaborations among member jurisdictions. The Commission, being a member representing Nigeria in the organisation, has lined up series of activities to commemorate this year’s event.  

Some of the activities slated for the event include interaction with the public on topics regarding investor education, rights and protection that are considered critical to retail investors nationwide. In particular, webinars titled “The Non-Interest Capital Market as Panacea to Mortgage Financing in Nigeria” and “Investor Resilience and Sustainable Finance” will be hosted on the 26 and 27 October, 2022 respectively.

Speaking on the event, Director General of the SEC, Mr. Lamido Yuguda stated that the Commission and other players in the capital market have, over time, frequently sought to enhance the level and quality of financial literacy in Nigeria. 

He said, “Major among the recent initiatives is the on- going plan to introduce capital market studies in Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, a project which has reached an advance stage. It is without doubt that the delivery of this project will change the face of financial literacy in Nigeria.

“Indeed, for this sixth edition of the WIW, stakeholders nationwide are urged to collaborate with the Commission, and in their own different ways create the awareness on the need to educate and protect the investor”. 

Also Speaking on the event, Mr. Ashley Alder, Chair of the IOSCO Board and the Chief Executive Officer of the Hong Kong Securities and Futures Commission said, “During the last two years, we have seen a growing number of retail investors participating in securities markets, in the context of the global pandemic. 

“Those investors are facing new challenges, such as inflationary pressures and the uncertainties deriving from geopolitical tensions. Financial education and investor protection play a critical role in enhancing investor resilience and investor confidence to participate in financial market on a properly informed basis”.