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NSE, LSEG Sign Capital Market Agreement
Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) signed a capital markets agreement at the UKTI and the Emerging Capital event held at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)
The objective of the agreement is to strengthen cooperation and promote mutual development between the two exchanges. The agreement supports African companies seeking dual listings in London and Lagos.
Oscar N. Onyema, NSE’s chief executive officer (CEO), as well as LSEG’s chief of Staff and head of International Development Nikhil Rathi and Ibukun Adebayo, co-head of Emerging Markets and Head of Primary Markets, LSEG were present and signatories at the signing ceremony.
The agreement was witnessed by Sir Roger Gifford, Chairman of the UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office’s Nigeria Emerging Capital Markets Task Force and senior executives at the Nigerian Stock Exchange. The agreement is for an initial period of two years.
The agreement follows the implementation earlier this year of a new settlement process between the UK and Nigeria. This made significantly more efficient the listing and trading of ordinary shares of Nigerian companies listed in London, as well as those of UK companies on the Nigerian market.
Seplat, the oil and gas business, which raised $500m in an IPO via this new mechanism in April, was the first company to simultaneously dual list shares in London and Nigeria.
Onyema said: “Today’s agreement is another major step towards our goal of ensuring that all companies that have substantial operations in Africa are accessible to both Nigerian and international investors. In addition, we will be ensuring that our leading companies achieve the global profile and international institutional investment they deserve.”
Also commenting on the development, Mr. Nikhil Rathi, Head of International Development, LSEG said “The agreement signed today is a reflection of the global investment community’s strong desire to be a part of the Nigeria story. As the world’s most international exchange, LSEG looks forward to partnering with the NSE in showcasing the opportunities the rapidly growing Nigerian economy offers investors.”
Sir Roger Gifford, Country Head for the European Bank SEB, former Lord Mayor of London, and Co-Chairman of the UK Government’s Nigeria Emerging Capital Markets Task Force, said “I’m delighted to be here today to witness the signing of this agreement. This is exactly the sort of ambitious project the ECMT Nigeria was launched to support. Nigeria is without doubt one of the most promising opportunities for capital markets development worldwide. An effective, transparent and well-governed capital market – across all asset classes – has the capacity to catalyse a nation’s quest for growth and development. In particular, functioning markets for corporate equity and debt reduce the dependence on bank capital and make investment securities available to a broader range of investors: institutional, private and international. This agreement will build on existing strong commercial and economic ties between the UK and Nigeria to our mutual benefit. ”
The Chartered Institute of Bankers (CIBN) and the Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) have enjoined banks to further deepen and prioritize financial inclusion, women’s empowerment and sustained growth through strategic mandates and frameworks, aimed at closing the financial gap and empowering more small, and medium enterprise (MSME) owners.
Both organisations made this call during a courtesy visit to the newly invested 24th President and Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Dele Alabi, Ph.D, FCIB, as part of plans to congratulate him on his investiture as well as seek a stronger alliance between both bodies.
The visit followed Alabi’s investiture where he unveiled his “IMPACT” Vision, themed “Consolidating Our Local Impact, Enhancing Our Global Relevance.”
The vision rests on six pillars: Inclusion across geographic, gender, and generational lines; Membership growth and quality; Professionalism and ethics; Accountability; Competencies and skills development; Technology, automation, and innovation. Other areas of shared interest, include women empowerment, financial inclusion and literacy, as well as MSME clinics, all of which are top on his agenda.
Alabi explained that under him, the institute will be prioritising financial inclusion and women empowerment, because of its realisation that women are often the primary financial managers and caregivers in families. Access to savings, micro-credit, and insurance acts as a safety net during crisis and allows them to significantly improve living conditions.
He added that CIBN would be happy to drive joint knowledge sharing and exchange sessions with CBN and ACAMB across various platforms. “Educating the public through public awareness programmes, with ACAMB as the rallying point, is central to what we do,” he noted.
ACAMB President, Jide Sipe, who led the delegation, spoke in unison with the CIBN president, as he noted that, closing the inbalances in financial access help economies grow faster, reduces inequality, and encourages greater civic participation by all.
Lagos State has become the first sub-national government in Nigeria to establish a comprehensive Greenhouse Gas Registry, a move aimed at strengthening climate governance, improving emissions accountability and accelerating the state’s transition to a low-carbon economy.
The Lagos State Greenhouse Gas Registry (LGHGR) was unveiled at the Central Business District, Alausa, Ikeja, at a ceremony attended by Prof. Akin Abayomi, commissioner for Health, members of the State Executive Council, representatives of the Federal Ministry of Environment, development partners, TPHG Technologies, the diplomatic and business communities, academics, civil society organisations and the media.
Describing the initiative as a landmark achievement in the state’s environmental sustainability drive, Dr. Babatunde Ajayi, general manager of the Lagos State Environmental Protection Agency (LASEPA), said the Registry marks a defining moment in Lagos’ climate action journey and reflects Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s commitment to building a resilient, climate-smart and environmentally sustainable economy.
According to Ajayi, the digital platform will enable the state to accurately measure, monitor, report and verify greenhouse gas emissions across key sectors, providing credible data to guide environmental policies and climate interventions.
He said the Registry would strengthen evidence-based decision-making, improve transparency and accountability, support national and international climate reporting obligations, unlock carbon market opportunities and boost investor confidence in Lagos’ environmental initiatives.
Ajayi also commended TPHG Technologies for providing the technical expertise that made the pioneering project possible.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Abayomi described the Registry as a major milestone that positions Lagos at the forefront of climate governance and emissions accountability in both Nigeria and Africa.
He noted that climate change has evolved into a significant public health and governance challenge, stressing that access to reliable emissions data would enable the state to formulate evidence-based policies, attract climate financing, strengthen resilience and accelerate its transition to a low-carbon economy.
Providing insights into the technical framework of the project, Dr. Mofoluso Fagbeja, lead consultant and chief executive officer, TPHG Technologies, explained that the Registry was developed from the greenhouse gas inventory jointly undertaken by LASEPA and TPHG Technologies in 2022, using 2019 as the baseline year for emissions assessment.
He said the platform is designed to close critical emissions data gaps, particularly within the industrial sector, while supporting effective climate policy implementation, emissions management and sustainable development.
Fagbeja also disclosed that the greenhouse gas inventory estimated that poor air quality contributes to about 35,000 premature deaths annually in Lagos, underscoring the urgent need for stronger emissions control measures and cleaner environmental practices.
In a goodwill message, Balarabe Abbas Lawal, minister of Environment, represented by Mrs. Adenaike Olunimpe Oludunni, federal controller of Environment in Lagos, commended Lagos State for pioneering the initiative, describing it as a significant contribution to Nigeria’s climate commitments.
He said the Registry aligns with the country’s Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) under the Paris Agreement and supports the Federal Government’s Energy Transition Plan, while reaffirming the ministry’s commitment to deeper collaboration with Lagos State on climate governance and environmental sustainability.
A recently released Henley Passport Index 2026, showed that Nigerian citizens can travel to at least 20 destinations outside the African continent where entry is allowed either visa-free, with a visa on arrival (VOA) at no extra cost, or via an e-visa.
This expanded access opens doors for Nigerian travellers to experience countries in the Caribbean, Asia, and beyond with greater ease.
Below is a comprehensive guide to countries outside Africa which Nigerian passport holders can visit without a traditional visa.
Visa-Free Countries outside Africa for Nigerian Passport Holders:
Barbados
Cambodia – Visa on arrival
Comoros Islands – Visa on arrival
Cook Islands
Dominica
Fiji
Haiti
Iran – Visa on arrival
Kiribati
Lebanon
Maldives – Visa on arrival
Micronesia
Montserrat
Niue – Visa on arrival
Palau Islands – Visa on arrival
Samoa – Visa on arrival
St. Kitts and Nevis
Timor-Leste – Visa on arrival
Tuvalu
Vanuatuul
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