NGX Group and Ministry of Women Affairs Form Strategic Alliance to Enhance Gender Inclusion in Nigerian Capital Markets

Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim and NGX Group launch a new partnership to drive women’s participation in Nigeria’s capital markets and wealth creation.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 26, 2026, 6:19 AM EDT

Source: The information in this article was sourced from Business Hallmark

Strategic Partnership for Economic Empowerment

Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, known as NGX Group, has entered into a formal partnership with the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development to advance gender inclusion across the nation's financial landscape. The collaboration was inaugurated during a visit by the Honourable Minister, Hajiya Imaan Sulaiman-Ibrahim, to the Exchange, where she participated in a ceremonial Closing Gong ceremony. This alliance is designed to create targeted pathways for women to engage more deeply with the capital market, both as individual investors and as leaders of enterprises. According to Group Chairman Alhaji Umaru Kwairanga, women are central to the country’s economic resilience, making the capital market a vital tool for their financial advancement.

Addressing the Participation Gap in Formal Finance

Despite their high levels of productivity in the informal sector, Nigerian women remain significantly underrepresented within formal financial systems and the capital markets. Minister Sulaiman-Ibrahim emphasized that the current makeup of market participants reflects a systemic lack of access that must be corrected to meet national economic goals. She noted that achieving a one trillion dollar economy is impossible without the full and active participation of the female population. By aligning the Ministry's social development goals with the Exchange’s financial infrastructure, the partnership seeks to dismantle the barriers that have historically kept women on the periphery of wealth creation.

Market Regulation and Intentional Inclusion Initiatives

The Securities and Exchange Commission, represented by Director General Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has expressed strong support for the initiative, highlighting the need for intentionality in market design. Dr. Agama pointed out that current participation levels do not yet reflect Nigeria’s demographic reality or its economic potential. To rectify this, the SEC is advocating for policies that actively encourage women to engage with market instruments. This regulatory support ensures that the push for inclusion is not merely a social gesture but a structural shift backed by the primary oversight body of the Nigerian financial sector.