SEC Directs Capital Market Operators to Renew Registration from Jan. 1

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all capital market operators to renew their registration between January 1 and January 31, 2026.

The Director-General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, disclosed this in an interview with journalists in Abuja at the weekend. He said the directive is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regulation and improve efficiency in the capital market.

Agama also announced that the Commission will commence electronic receipt and processing of applications for registration and updates of registration information in the first quarter of 2026, as part of its digital transformation drive.

According to him, the initiatives reflect the Commission’s commitment to leveraging technology to achieve faster, more transparent and efficient regulatory processes.

“The Commission is taking deliberate steps to make regulatory processes faster, more transparent and technology-driven. We are investing in automation, database supervision and secure infrastructure to improve how we interact with the market,” Agama said.

He explained that through the SEC’s Digital Transformation Portal, registration and licensing processes have been fully automated, allowing operators to submit applications, upload documents and track approvals online. This, he noted, has significantly reduced manual processing time and the need for physical visits to the Commission.

The SEC boss further revealed that the Commission has rolled out a Commercial Paper issuance module, enabling operators to file documents, monitor progress and receive approvals electronically, with early feedback indicating improved turnaround time.

Agama added that work is ongoing to automate quarterly and annual returns submissions using structured templates and system checks to ensure accuracy. He said a returns analytics dashboard is also being developed to support risk-based supervision and exception reporting.

To support these reforms, he said the Commission is upgrading its IT infrastructure, including servers, storage, networks and security systems, to enhance speed and reliability. Selective cloud migration is also underway for platforms requiring scalability and external access, while core internal systems will remain on-premises for now as security and cost implications are assessed.