Experts in Nigeria’s non interest finance space have urged authorities to expand the size and frequency of Sukuk issuances to deepen the market, unlock long term infrastructure funding, and broaden financial inclusion. The call featured prominently at the CFG Africa Non-Interest Investment Forum in Abuja, against a backdrop of global market volatility pushing investors toward asset backed and ethical instruments.
CFG Africa’s CEO, Babajide Lawani, said non interest finance offers Nigeria access to new pools of capital, particularly from investors who avoid conventional interest-based products for faith or ethical reasons. He noted strong growth across CFG Africa’s businesses and said the firm is committed to developing innovative products that deliver competitive returns while supporting inclusion.
In his keynote, Dr Basheer Oshodi highlighted strong demand for Sukuk, citing a 735 percent oversubscription of Nigeria’s last 10-year Ijarah Sukuk. He argued that annual issuance is insufficient and called for quarterly, larger offerings to improve liquidity, finance infrastructure, and support MSMEs, positioning non interest finance as a core pillar of the economy.
