NSE to provide corporates, investors’ access to market

The Chief Executive Officer of The Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, has expressed the Exchange’s commitment to providing corporates and investors’ access to the market in meeting their financial and investment needs during this period and beyond.

He made this known during the first ever Digital Closing Gong ceremony hosted by the Exchange via Instagram on Wednesday, in honour of the contributions of Sterling Bank Plc to the fight against COVID-19 in Nigeria.

Speaking on the Exchange’s efforts to sustain an open and vibrant capital market, Onyema said: “Following the activation of our Business Continuity Plan and our transition to remote working and trading, the Exchange has been resolute in its commitment to ensure that there are no disruptions to operations for any of our stakeholders.

‘’We have leveraged our existing digital assets to ensure there is continuous flow of information and activity in the market and are now looking at how we can deploy creative solutions to enhance our stakeholders’ experience during these unprecedented times.”

Onyema identified the sounding of the Closing Gong to mark the end of the trading day as a treasured tradition of the Exchange that had been impacted by the temporary closure of the trading floor and one which presents an opportunity for digital engagement.

“It has been our pleasure to rekindle the tradition of sounding the Closing Gong albeit digitally with Sterling Bank Plc. It would be remiss of me not to thank the Mr. Abubakar Suleiman for joining us to achieve this milestone and commend him for the notable efforts Sterling Bank is making to curb the spread of COVID-19 in Nigeria and support the Nigerian economy at this time,’’ he added.

On his part, Abubakar Suleiman, Chief Executive Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, said: “My appreciation goes to the NSE for leading the digital transformation of our market. These are interesting times we live in with the outbreak of coronavirus changing the way we live and work.

‘’While we all come to terms with these new realities, I urge everyone to identify and leverage the opportunity we have been given to reset our nation and our businesses,’’ he said.

Speaking to the bank’s efforts in providing succour to stakeholders at this time, Suleiman said: “At Sterling, we are offering a range of solutions to help Nigerians manage through temporary or extended periods of reduced or lost income as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.”