Yemisi Izuora
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled key details of the SEC/Nigerian Capital Market Institute (NCMI) Compliance Summit 2025, scheduled to hold from November 24–25 at the Lagos Oriental Hotel, with a strong emphasis on reforms to the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) and the integration of technology-driven compliance practices across Nigeria’s capital market.
Positioned as a strategic continuation of the successful 2024 edition, the 2025 summit will focus on strengthening transparency, efficiency, and resilience within the capital market ecosystem.
According to the Commission, the event aims to promote innovation-led regulatory practices that address emerging risks while supporting the evolving market structure.
The summit, with the theme “Innovation and Compliance – Balancing Risks and Opportunities,” will convene capital market operators, self-regulatory organizations, FinTech innovators, regulators, and compliance professionals to discuss risk-based, forward-looking compliance strategies.
The SEC said compliance officers are expected to participate, given their central role in safeguarding market integrity and ensuring institutions adapt swiftly to regulatory changes.
The Commission explained that the gathering will promote innovation-driven compliance strategies to enhance regulatory efficiency, deepen dialogue on beneficial ownership transparency and customer due diligence, and highlight the importance of RegTech and data analytics for real-time transaction monitoring.
It will also emphasize stronger board and senior management involvement in fostering a robust compliance culture, along with strengthening public-private sector collaboration to sustain Nigeria’s progress in Anti-Money Laundering and Countering the Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT).
According to the SEC, the summit will provide an unparalleled platform for in-depth analysis of regulatory evolution, featuring expert-led sessions examining ISA 2025 compliance requirements and changing expectations for market participants. It will also facilitate multi-stakeholder engagement on technology innovation and risk, especially as digitization accelerates through the growth of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) and FinTech platforms, creating a greater need for advanced compliance tools such as RegTech and data analytics.
The Commission added that the forum will help build clarity and consensus on leadership responsibilities in compliance by addressing ambiguities, sharing insights, and strengthening governance frameworks that integrate compliance into strategic decision-making. It will further outline both immediate and long-term strategies for implementing the new law, addressing potential gaps, and developing practical solutions.
The summit is also expected to support knowledge transfer and capacity building by aligning stakeholder perspectives, fostering trust, and collectively developing resilient and forward-looking compliance models.
The SEC described the 2025 Compliance Summit as a pivotal step in advancing financial integrity, innovation, and investor confidence in Nigeria’s capital market as the regulatory landscape continues to evolve.