The President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (CMAN), Prof. Uche Uwaleke, has called for stronger collaboration between academia and the financial services industry, saying closer partnerships are essential to deepening Nigeria’s financial markets and accelerating economic growth.
Speaking on Tuesday in Abuja at the Fellowship Award Ceremony and Second Biennial Conference of CMAN, Uwaleke said Nigeria possesses abundant intellectual capacity within its universities and extensive practical expertise across its financial institutions, but lacks a structured framework to connect both sectors for national development.
According to him, countries with resilient financial systems have succeeded by fostering continuous collaboration among universities, regulators, government agencies and industry players.
He described CMAN as Nigeria’s leading financial markets think tank, established to ensure that academic research goes beyond scholarly publications to provide practical solutions to the country’s economic challenges.
To bridge the gap between academia and industry, Uwaleke urged the Federal Ministry of Education and the National Universities Commission (NUC) to recognise industry experience alongside academic publications in the appointment and promotion of lecturers in professionally oriented disciplines such as Banking, Finance, Insurance, Accounting and Capital Market Studies.
He also recommended that universities deliberately recruit accomplished retired bankers, investment professionals and capital market practitioners as adjunct lecturers to enrich teaching, strengthen curriculum relevance and better prepare graduates for the workplace.
According to him, the NUC should reinforce the initiative by awarding accreditation points to academic programmes that successfully integrate experienced industry practitioners into their faculties.
The CMAN president further called on financial sector regulators, including the Central Bank of Nigeria, Securities and Exchange Commission, National Insurance Commission, National Pension Commission and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation, to institutionalise structured sabbatical and research fellowship opportunities for qualified academics.
He said such programmes would enable scholars to undertake policy-oriented research while giving regulators access to independent expertise capable of improving policy formulation and regulatory effectiveness.
Uwaleke also proposed the establishment of a Financial Markets Research Partnership to be championed by the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of National Planning.
He said the initiative should bring together regulators, universities and industry players to commission research on critical national priorities, including capital market development, infrastructure finance, pension reforms, insurance penetration, financial inclusion and sustainable finance.
In addition, he appealed to the National Assembly to support policies that encourage collaboration between universities and industry through incentives for financial institutions investing in research partnerships and university-based financial market research centres.
Uwaleke commended the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Bank of Industry, Cowry Asset Management Limited and the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers for already providing sabbatical opportunities to CMAN members.
He reaffirmed the association’s commitment to serving as a bridge between academia, government, regulators and industry through independent research, policy advice and intellectual support aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s financial system and driving sustainable economic transformation.
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama, called for stronger collaboration between regulators and academics, saying research-driven policymaking is essential for strengthening Nigeria’s capital market and promoting inclusive economic growth.
Speaking during the opening of the conference, Agama described the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria as an important bridge between academic research and financial market regulation.
“I have long believed that good regulation begins with good thinking. The policies we make at the Securities and Exchange Commission are only ever as strong as the evidence and the ideas that inform them,” he said.
According to him, research generated through academic conferences, journals and peer-reviewed studies provides the foundation for evidence-based regulation capable of responding to the evolving needs of Nigeria’s financial markets.
He said the Commission regards academics as strategic partners whose ideas can shape policies that strengthen investor confidence and support market development.
Agama noted that Nigeria’s capital market is undergoing major reforms following the enactment of the Investments and Securities Act, 2025, and the implementation of a new 10-year Capital Market Master Plan.
He said the reforms require rigorous research, constructive scrutiny and honest debate to ensure that regulatory policies remain responsive to emerging realities and aligned with global best practices.
The SEC chief also commended CMAN for choosing a conference theme focused on equitable and inclusive growth, describing it as timely and relevant to Nigeria’s economic development agenda.
He urged participants to ensure that their deliberations produce practical recommendations capable of influencing policymaking and improving market operations.
“The Commission’s door is open to evidence, to challenge and to fresh ideas, wherever they may lead. The finest measure of these two days will not be the sessions we hold, but the policies and the practices they go on to shape,” Agama said.
He reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to working closely with the academic community to advance knowledge, strengthen regulation and support the sustainable development of Nigeria’s capital market.
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