Ahonsi Unuigbe met with Dubai Financial Market leaders to strengthen NGX and NASDAQ Dubai cross-listing partnerships.
Dubais capital markets offer Nigerian firms access to deeper funding, global visibility, and improved governance standards.
Unuigbes push reflects a serious strategy to connect African companies with global capital, not symbolic, but structural.
Nigerian energy mogul Ahonsi Unuigbe is working to link Africas business landscape with the global financial system. His recent visit to the Dubai Financial Market DFM was more than a ceremonial trip, it was a practical step toward forging stronger investment ties between Nigeria and the United Arab Emirates.
Forging market links beyond ceremonyUnuigbe, who chairs the Nigerian Exchange Group NGX and leads Petralon Energy, met with senior DFM officials including CEO Hamed Ahmed Ali and Joel Tilly, associate vice president of business development for Africa. Their conversations focused on enhancing the agreement between NGX and NASDAQ Dubai. At the center of these talks was a shared goal: to create easier pathways for Nigerian companies, especially in energy, to list on both exchanges.
The UAE presents a compelling case for African corporates, especially in the energy sector, with its advanced regulatory frameworks, deep capital markets, and strong sector expertise, Unuigbe said. At NGX, we are committed to leveraging these cross-border synergies to drive real value for both markets.
Dubai markets offer deep capital accessDubai has spent years reshaping its capital markets to support long-term investment. Through DFM and NASDAQ Dubai, the city has developed a system that not only welcomes initial public offerings but supports companies well beyond their listing. These exchanges, with a combined market value of more than 1 trillion, are now positioned as global platforms with more capital than deals to fund, an opportunity African firms could use to their advantage.
For Nigerian businesses, the appeal is straightforward. Access to deeper capital pools, better governance standards, and global visibility can be game-changing, especially in an environment where raising long-term funds at fair rates is a constant struggle. Unuigbes push isnt about symbolic alignment. Its about unlocking practical opportunities for African firms to raise funds and scale operations internationally.