{
  "id": 10825027,
  "title": "Sanwo-Olu seeks stronger structures for Africa’s capital markets",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/sanwo-olu-seeks-stronger-structures-for-africas-capital-markets-10825027",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-09-30T01:34:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch",
    "slug": "punch",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/sanwo-olu-seeks-stronger-structures-for-africas-capital-markets/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Lagos State Governor's Special Adviser on Corporate Finance and Strategic Investments, Akintayo Sanwo-Olu, has advocated for more robust financial structures to link Africa's capital markets with the continent's burgeoning pool of tangible assets. Speaking at GITEX Nigeria 2026, Sanwo-Olu emphasized that technology alone will not bridge the investment barriers without credible institutions, clear regulations, and dependable market infrastructure. Tokenisation of assets could enhance liquidity and accessibility for investors, but its potential remains constrained without these critical components. Sanwo-Olu suggested that Africa should build upon existing financial systems instead of constructing new ones from scratch, viewing tokenisation as a stepping stone rather than the ultimate solution. He described it as \"not the final answer but a piece to the puzzle,\" emphasizing that Africa's ultimate goal should be to develop financial structures tailored to the continent's unique needs. The discussion comes as global interest in tokenised real-world assets surges, involving the digital representation of traditionally illiquid assets to facilitate easier access, transfer, and investment. While Africa boasts a growing digital financial ecosystem, primarily driven by mobile money and digital payments, the next challenge lies in connecting this capital flow with productive assets. Sanwo-Olu highlighted that while tokenisation can boost asset liquidity and accessibility, its effectiveness hinges on the supporting institutional, regulatory, and market frameworks. Nigeria has initiated regulatory groundwork for digital financial markets with the 2025 Investment and Securities Act, classifying digital assets as securities and granting regulatory authority to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SEC's recent admission of seven digital-asset firms into its Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme further underscores these efforts. Sanwo-Olu identified structure, access, clarity, and trust as foundational elements for Africa's financial evolution, with investors requiring confidence in credible systems and asset owners needing efficient mechanisms to connect with funding sources. This strategic focus aligns with Nigeria's broader goal of establishing Lagos as a financial hub in Africa, anchored by initiatives like the Lagos International Financial Centre. Ultimately, the critical task is to establish structures that ensure businesses operate within credible rules, investors perceive opportunities with greater confidence, and capital flows smoothly into productive assets.",
  "summary": "Lagos governor’s aide, Akintayo Sanwo-Olu, has called for stronger financial structures to connect capital with real-world assets in Africa. Read More: https://punchng.com/sanwo-olu-seeks-stronger-structures-for-africas-capital-markets/",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Sanwo-Olu seeks stronger structures for Africa’s capital markets",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/30/sanwo-olu-seeks-stronger-structures-for-africas-capital-markets",
        "published": "2026-09-30T01:26:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}