Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has granted Approval-in-Principle (AIP) for the establishment of Contisx Securities Exchange Plc, a new full-service securities exchange targeting a September 2026 launch.
The development was disclosed by the Founder of Contisx, Prof. Ndubuisi Ekekwe, via his X handle on Monday, April 20, 2026. The proposed exchange is positioned to deepen capital formation, broaden investor participation, and expand Nigeria’s capital market beyond its current structure.
The new platform is expected to support public and private markets, as well as derivatives trading across instruments such as equities, corporate and government bonds, commercial papers, and exchange-traded funds.
This development comes as Nigeria’s equities trading segment is largely dominated by the Nigerian Exchange Limited, with limited alternatives such as NASD for over-the-counter transactions.
Contisx's Vision for Investment Inclusion
The founder stated that the proposed exchange is built on the principle of “investment inclusion,” aiming to mobilize idle capital across the Nigerian economy. He noted that a significant volume of cash remains outside the formal financial system, limiting its productive use.
“If we can channel even 50% of that into simple sovereign instruments at about 10%, that would generate roughly N250 billion in returns for citizens, while also providing the government with capital to fund development,” Ekekwe said.
“We have begun the countdown to launch on our website: contisx.com — targeting September 2026. We are inviting stakeholders across Nigeria to participate in this journey.” He added that the live buttons on the website are not active and will become active on launch.
He further explained that scaling participation across instruments such as subnational bonds reinforces the argument that Nigeria’s challenge lies more in capital mobilization than capital availability.
Expansion Plans and Pre-Launch Activities
According to the founder, the exchange has commenced pre-launch activities. Plans are in place to establish its headquarters in Owerri and regional centers in key commercial cities such as Aba, Kano, and Ibadan.
