The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) will adopt international sustainability disclosure standards, but in a phased and locally adapted manner, in a bid to attract foreign investors, its director general said at the weekend.

Emomotimi Agama, head of the SEC, told an investors’ roundtable on the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) that Nigeria would avoid a “copy and paste” model and instead pursue a tailored approach to the framework.

He said the commission was considering gradual implementation of the standards developed under the International Organisation of Securities Commissions (IOSCO), stressing that Nigeria would continue to support the four pillars on which the framework was built.

“Nigeria, with its vast natural resources and growing population, is particularly vulnerable to climate change, and is pursuing an ambitious sustainable finance agenda,” Agama said.

He listed four priorities for the transition: building capacity by training issuers, auditors and preparers to understand the new requirements; phased adoption, beginning with large listed entities before extending further; developing an assurance framework to guarantee credible disclosures; and aligning the global baseline with domestic realities while retaining comparability.

“This means: capacity building working with issuers, auditors, and preparers to ensure they understand and are ready for the new requirements,” he explained.

“Phased implementation considering a graduated approach, perhaps beginning with larger, listed entities before expanding to others; assurance framework developing a robust system for the verification of disclosures to guarantee their credibility.

“And alignment with local realities ensuring the global baseline is applied in a way that is appropriate and proportional for our market, while maintaining the core goal of global comparability.”

Agama said the commission chose this strategy to strengthen the attractiveness of Nigeria’s capital markets and to signal greater transparency to international investors.

He argued that adopting the ISSB standards would establish a global framework for sustainability disclosures, giving investors confidence and reducing complexity across markets.

“The case for adoption is clear: for global comparability, for investor trust, for managing systemic risk, and for reducing complexity,” the SEC chief said.

“This is no longer a question of if, but of how and when. The journey to a sustainable global economy requires a common language.

“The ISSB has provided that lexicon. IOSCO has called us to speak about it. At SEC Nigeria, we have answered that call.”

Agama reaffirmed the commission’s commitment to working with both domestic and international partners to implement the standards effectively.