Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr. Emomotimi Agama, has projected that digital assets could represent a $10 trillion opportunity by 2030. Speaking after his election as Vice Chairman of the Africa/Middle East Regional Committee (AMERC) of the International Organization of Securities Commissions (IOSCO) — a role that also grants him a seat on IOSCO’s Board until 2026 — Agama urged the region to lead global capital market innovation. He outlined plans to develop clear regulations for stablecoins, tokenized securities, and crypto assets, alongside investor protection frameworks, ensuring innovation is matched with market stability.
Agama’s strategy calls for leveraging cross-border capital flows, regional market-making schemes, and pension fund reforms to channel domestic savings into productive sectors. He aims to attract global infrastructure financing by partnering with AFMI and development institutions to de-risk investments, while creating new frameworks to support SME listings and high-growth startups.
Under his leadership, AMERC will pursue initiatives including a Listings Growth Initiative for SMEs, a cross-border settlement system, a Digital Assets Working Group, and capital market literacy programs. The goal is to deepen liquidity, expand cross-border linkages, democratize participation through youth and retail investor programs, and position Africa and the Middle East as hubs for digital finance, innovation, and inclusive economic growth.
