The Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) has called on Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Kano to explore opportunities in the capital market as a pathway to business expansion and long-term wealth creation.
Speaking on the sidelines of a stakeholders’ meeting themed “Unlocking Growth: Harnessing the Capital Market for SME Growth,” NGX Chairman, Umaru Kwairanga, emphasised the importance of accessing capital market instruments to secure funding for scaling operations.
Kwairanga noted that SMEs remain the backbone of Nigeria’s economy and possess significant potential to drive national growth if adequately supported.
He explained that the NGX has developed initiatives aimed at simplifying market entry requirements and increasing accessibility for businesses across the country.
“Our aim is to engage prospective and listed companies in the NGX, helping them meet the necessary requirements to fully benefit from market opportunities. We want these SMEs to achieve great success, just like Dangote or BUA,” he said.
The NGX chairman also highlighted the strong performance of the capital market, revealing that some companies, particularly in the engineering sector, recorded returns of over 50 per cent in 2025.
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“Currently, our market has already returned over 30 per cent, and we are confident of tripling last year’s performance,” he added.
Kwairanga further pointed to local success stories, including Jaiz Bank, whose shares have grown significantly since listing, demonstrating the wealth creation potential of strategic investments.
He stressed the need to expand opportunities for young people and women, warning that failure to harness the potential of Nigeria’s youthful population could have long-term consequences.
“Seventy per cent of our population is under 30. If we do not provide these opportunities, we risk producing untapped potential that could become a time bomb for the future,” he said.
