Follow Us on Google
By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), Temi Popoola, has said recent gains in Nigeria’s equity market are contributing to a shift in how the country is perceived by global investors, as improving macroeconomic signals and policy clarity reshape sentiment.
Speaking during a live interview on BBC Newsday in London, on the sidelines of engagements tied to President Bola Tinubu’s state visit to the United Kingdom, Popoola said investors are increasingly reassessing Nigeria’s economic trajectory based on data and recent reforms.
“What we are seeing is a gradual re-rating of Nigeria. Investors are beginning to look at the data more closely, the returns, the reforms, and the improving macroeconomic direction and that is changing sentiment,” he said.
He noted that Nigeria’s equity market has recorded strong returns in recent months, positioning it more competitively among emerging and frontier markets, with the performance helping to recalibrate long-standing risk perceptions and draw renewed international interest.
Popoola added that developments in the energy sector, including increased domestic refining capacity and ongoing reforms, are reducing the economy’s exposure to external oil price shocks, which in turn supports investor confidence.
Other News
According to him, sustaining the shift in perception will depend on consistency in policy implementation. “Global capital responds to clarity and consistency.
As those elements become more evident, Nigeria naturally becomes more investable.”
He further highlighted the role of continued engagement with global financial centres such as London in connecting Nigeria’s capital market to international pools of capital, noting that such interactions remain important in translating interest into actual inflows.
Popoola said Nigeria’s evolving market structure, supported by ongoing reforms, is strengthening its position as a destination for long-term investment, with a growing recognition of the opportunities within the economy.
“There is a broader recognition that Nigeria offers significant opportunities. The focus now is ensuring that this recognition translates into sustained capital flows,” he added.
He concluded that Nigeria’s capital market is increasingly being assessed through a more data-driven lens, reflecting both its resilience and longer-term growth prospects.
