Nigeria’s ambition of becoming a $1 trillion economy by 2030 can only be realised through the strategic, disciplined and collaborative implementation of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025, the Group Managing Director of GTI Capital, Abubakar Lawal, has said.
Lawal made this assertion at the 2025 annual conference of the Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria (CAMCAN) in Lagos. He was represented at the event by the Managing Director of GTI Capital, Mr. Kehinde Hassan.
He stressed that the ISA 2025 must move beyond being a policy document and be transformed into a practical instrument for driving national economic growth.
According to him, clarity, consistency and synergy among regulators, operators and market stakeholders are essential if the Act is to serve as the foundation of Nigeria’s trillion-dollar economic ambition.
Lawal said the country has reached a critical phase where fragmented efforts and isolated initiatives can no longer be tolerated.
He noted that the implementation of ISA 2025 must align with the Revised Capital Market Master Plan in order to prevent policy dissonance and institutional overlap.
“What Nigeria requires now is a unified roadmap, one that integrates ISA 2025 into the broader architecture of the nation’s economic vision,” he said.
Lawal maintained that with disciplined execution, cross-institutional cooperation, sustained public education and responsible innovation, Nigeria could not only meet but surpass its $1 trillion economic target while delivering long-term socio-economic benefits.
He added that coordinated action would position Nigeria as both a continental and global model for innovation-driven and inclusive growth.
Describing ISA 2025 as a transformational reform, Lawal said the legislation offers more than regulatory rules, providing structure, tools and opportunities for national development. However, he cautioned that even the best-crafted laws remain ineffective without intentional follow-through.
He urged regulators to apply fairness and foresight, while operators embrace innovation anchored on responsibility.
Lawal also underscored the need for widespread investor education to unlock the full potential of the Act. He said awareness efforts must cut across all regions to ensure that investors understand their rights, entrepreneurs recognise new opportunities, and the general public is aware of the protections embedded in the new regulatory regime.
Highlighting key reforms within ISA 2025, he listed the recognition of digital and virtual assets, classification of investment contracts as securities, expansion of eligible issuers, establishment of specialised exchanges, broadening of non-interest instruments including Sukuk, strengthening of commodities exchanges, and enhanced powers of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
He said these reforms collectively support the $1 trillion economic agenda and significantly enhance youth inclusion, especially through the formal recognition of digital assets.
With over 60 per cent of Nigeria’s population made up of young people, Lawal described the youth as digital natives whose creativity and technological fluency can drive the next phase of economic growth.
According to him, ISA 2025 gives this demographic legitimacy and meaningful engagement within the financial system.
He concluded that if Nigeria executes the reform era with unity and determination, the nation would not only reinvent its economy but also inspire the African continent by demonstrating what is possible when national ambition is matched with decisive action.
