By Oluwakemi Kindness, Mardiyyah Abubakar
The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has proposed the establishment of a specialised Commercial Dispute Resolution Tribunal to speed up the resolution of business disputes and boost investor confidence in Nigeria.
Speaking at the Second Biennial Conference of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria (CMAN) in Abuja on Tuesday, Oyedele said prolonged litigation remains a major obstacle to investment, noting that commercial cases can take up to 15 years to pass through the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court.
According to a statement by Efe Ebelo, Head Exernal Communications, SEC, qoutes Oyedele as saying a dedicated tribunal, staffed by judges and arbitrators with expertise in commercial, financial and capital market matters, would provide faster and more predictable dispute resolution.
According to the minister, the tribunal should leverage digital case management systems and operate with mandatory timelines to ensure the swift resolution of disputes involving businesses, investors and commercial partners.
Oyedele argued that efficient contract enforcement is critical to attracting long-term investment because virtually every financial instrument, including bonds, syndicated loans and private placements, is built on enforceable agreements.
He also urged Nigerians to rethink their perception of public borrowing, stressing that debt should be assessed based on what it finances rather than its size.
“The relevant question is never simply how much debt there is. It is always debt for what, at what cost, against what return and repayable on what terms,” he said.
The minister further identified policy consistency, strong institutions, judicial independence and effective communication of economic reforms as key factors in attracting sustainable investment, insisting that “capital hates uncertainty more than taxation.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Dr Emomotimi Agama, called for stronger collaboration between regulators and academics to promote research-driven policymaking.
Agama said evidence-based research remains essential to strengthening Nigeria’s capital market, particularly as the country implements the Investments and Securities Act, 2025, and a new 10-year Capital Market Master Plan.
He urged academics to produce practical policy recommendations capable of improving market regulation, enhancing investor confidence and supporting inclusive economic growth.
Also speaking, President of the Capital Market Academics of Nigeria, Prof. Uche Uwaleke, advocated stronger partnerships between universities, regulators and financial institutions to bridge the gap between academic research and industry practice.
Uwaleke called for reforms that would encourage industry professionals to contribute to university teaching and promote collaborative research aimed at addressing Nigeria’s financial sector challenges.
