Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission has announced that large public-interest companies will be required to adopt mandatory Environmental, Social, and Governance reporting from 2027 as part of efforts to strengthen transparency and attract global investment.
The News Chronicle reports that large companies will first voluntarily comply, and in 2027 it will be mandatory. While small and medium-sized companies are projected to comply by 2030, other public interest organizations will follow in 2028.
Under the International Sustainability Standards Board, the updated structure brings Nigeria’s reporting standards into line with world sustainability criteria.
Director General of the SEC, Dr Emomotimi Agama, noted that sustainability reporting is now a major consideration affecting investment decisions and said better disclosures would boost investor trust and increase Nigerian companies’ access to foreign capital.
The commission also wants to encourage investments in renewable energy and the blue economy through infrastructure financing and green bonds.
Speakers at the FITC Sustainability and ESG Conference emphasized that Africa’s biggest problem is no longer vision but rather the effective execution of long-term development plans; they exhorted companies to move beyond promises by integrating sustainability into management and daily operations.
