NGX Eyes Marine Economy for Bond Issuance!

Sele Media Africa
www.selemedia.org
Reported by David Joshua | Sele Media Africa Reporter

Lagos / Abuja — The Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), in partnership with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), is exploring the development of a “blue bond” or marine‑economy labelled bond framework to channel capital into sustainable maritime and ocean economy initiatives. This comes as part of its broader push towards labelled bonds in Nigeria. [1]

What Is Happening

• In a recent capacity‑building workshop titled “Unlocking Sustainable Capital for the Real Sector,” NGX and IFC convened financial market players, regulators, and issuers to discuss how Nigeria can tap into green, social, blue, and sustainability‑linked bonds. [2]
• During the event, the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy was represented by Director Husaini Shettima, who advocated for structuring blue bonds—debt instruments designed to support ocean‑based projects such as sustainable fisheries, marine conservation, coastal resilience, and maritime infrastructure. [3]
• The blue bond concept is positioned as a complement to NGX’s existing push into labelled bonds, aiming to diversify Nigeria’s sustainable finance instruments and mobilize private capital for marine sector development. [2]

Why It Matters

• Marine economy potential: Nigeria’s coastline, rivers, ports, and ocean resources hold significant untapped potential in shipping, aquaculture, coastal tourism, blue carbon, and port infrastructure. A focused financing mechanism could help unlock this value.
• Sustainable financing gap: Labelled and green bonds globally have exceeded US$6.2 trillion by end of 2024. But Nigeria’s uptake remains nascent, partly due to structural, disclosure, and certification challenges. [1]
• Investor confidence & transparency: Issuers using NGX to list sustainable bonds benefit from increased visibility, better governance, and access to broader investor pools. [1]

About The Author

Marian Opeyemi Fasesan

Marian Opeyemi Fasesan is a dynamic journalist and editorial leader committed to excellence in news reporting and storytelling. As the Managing Editor of Sele Media Africa, she ensures daily operations run smoothly while upholding the highest editorial standards. With a strong eye for detail and deep understanding of audience engagement, Marian coordinates content across platforms, guiding teams to produce compelling, timely, and credible news. Her leadership reflects the heart of Sele Media Africa’s mission—to inform, inspire, and elevate voices across the continent.

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