CIS confab to rally capital mobilisation for infrastructure, manufacturing

Nigeria’s economic policymakers, financial market regulators, institutional investors and industry leaders will converge in Lagos on November 4 and 5 for the 30th Annual Conference of the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), with a focus on mobilising capital for productive investment and economic growth.

The conference, scheduled to hold in Lagos, will examine how the capital market can translate funds raised into tangible economic outcomes, including business expansion, job creation and improved global competitiveness.

With the theme, “From Capital Mobilised to Prosperity Realised: Financing Nigeria’s Next Era of Growth and Global Competitiveness”, the event is expected to provide a platform for stakeholders to develop practical solutions to the country’s investment and development challenges.

President of CIS, Dr Fiona Ahimie, said the conference would provide an opportunity to rethink the role of the capital market in financing Nigeria’s economic transformation.

She said the focus must shift from the volume of capital raised to its effective deployment in expanding productive capacity, creating jobs and strengthening businesses.

“Our focus must go beyond mobilising capital to ensuring that capital translates into productive investment, business expansion, employment generation and shared prosperity.

“Nigeria’s next phase of growth requires a capital market that is innovative, inclusive, efficient and competitive enough to attract both domestic and international investment,” Ahimie said.

Chairman of the Conference Committee, Saheed Bashir, said the conference was designed to bring together key players across the investment value chain to develop actionable recommendations for financing Nigeria’s growth ambitions.

He said discussions would examine the links between capital market development, technology, regulatory effectiveness and the financing needs of the real economy.

“This conference is designed to move the conversation from the potential of the capital market to practical solutions that can finance businesses, accelerate infrastructure development, support manufacturing and unlock opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises. We want the deliberations to produce ideas that policymakers, regulators, investors and industry leaders can translate into measurable outcomes,” Bashir said.

A major session, titled “Financing Productive Investments in the Real Economy: Spotlight on Infrastructure, Manufacturing, and SMEs,” will examine ways to expand access to long-term financing for sectors critical to economic development.

The session will explore how the capital market can complement bank lending by connecting businesses and infrastructure projects with long-term funding from institutional and other investors.