Tokenization will drive the next $10 trillion in on-chain assets, based on Roqqu Chief Executive Officer Eseoghene Onomor, because the digital asset firm works to construct infrastructure that might join Nigerian shares with buyers throughout world markets.
The firm says it’s trying past cryptocurrency buying and selling to develop know-how and distribution channels that might make Nigerian equities extra accessible via blockchain-based mostly monetary infrastructure.
The Dangote Refinery preliminary public providing (IPO) has renewed consideration on the dimensions of funding alternatives in Nigeria.
However, Roqqu says its broader ambition is to broaden entry to regionally issued assets past Nigeria’s borders by growing digital channels via which world buyers might take part within the home capital market.
From stablecoins to tokenized assets
According to the corporate, monetary markets have moved from paper certificates to digital document-holding programs, bettering how securities are recorded, managed and transferred.
It added that tokenization represents one other stage on this evolution through the use of blockchain infrastructure to create digital representations of assets.
The firm says stablecoins, which characterize fiat currencies such because the US greenback as digital tokens, have emerged as a longtime use case for tokenization, permitting worth to maneuver throughout blockchain networks and combine with digital monetary providers.
- “Tokenization is what will drive the next $10T on-chain,” Onomor mentioned.
He famous that for Nigeria, tokenization might create further channels for home companies to draw funding and allow buyers outdoors the nation to entry regionally issued monetary assets.
Targeting the Nigerian inventory market
Roqqu says it has expanded its digital monetary providers via stablecoin fee infrastructure, zero-fuel-payment withdrawals throughout supported networks and entry to tokenized world shares via partnerships with established issuers akin to Ondo Finance.
The firm is now trying to lengthen that mannequin to Nigeria’s home capital market.
Emmanuel Peter, Roqqu’s Head of Trading and Markets, mentioned the corporate was growing the infrastructure required to attach Nigerian equities with a extra accessible digital monetary system.
- “We are building the technology and distribution layer that brings Nigerian stocks into a more digital, accessible and programmable financial system for everyone,” Peter mentioned.
He added that the corporate’s ambition extends past particular person inventory listings to the know-how, distribution channels and institutional relationships wanted to attach conventional finance with blockchain-based mostly infrastructure.
- “We will tokenize the entire Nigerian stock market,” Peter mentioned.
If carried out, the initiative might create further digital channels for Nigerian and worldwide buyers to entry home equities, whereas offering monetary establishments and know-how firms with infrastructure to develop providers round tokenized assets.
However, making Nigerian shares accessible via blockchain infrastructure would depend upon the relevant regulatory framework, the construction of the tokenized merchandise and the preparations for investor possession, buying and selling and settlement.
Building African-owned monetary infrastructure
The alternative, based on Roqqu’s imaginative and prescient, extends past particular person shares to the event of regionally constructed know-how that might join African monetary markets with world funding networks.
The firm is positioning itself to maneuver past crypto buying and selling in the direction of a broader monetary ecosystem the place customers can entry digital assets, shares and different monetary merchandise via one platform.
Its longer-time period ambition is to ascertain a two-means connection between world and African markets: giving African buyers entry to worldwide monetary alternatives whereas creating channels via which Nigerian assets might attain buyers worldwide.
Such infrastructure might turn out to be more and more necessary as monetary establishments and know-how firms discover how tokenization can assist asset distribution, possession and settlement.
SEC faces calls to speed up tokenization guidelines
Roqqu’s plans come as Nigeria’s regulatory framework for digital assets and tokenization continues to develop.
- Earlier this week, Senator Osita Izunaso, Chairman of the Senate Committee on Capital Market and Institutions, called on the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to accelerate regulations for digital assets and tokenization, warning that delays might trigger Nigeria to overlook rising funding alternatives.
- His feedback got here after the Investments and Securities Act 2025 recognised digital assets, alongside the SEC’s subsequent proposals for regulating actual-world asset tokenization platforms.
- Izunaso questioned Nigeria’s readiness to compete within the worldwide tokenization market and argued that clearer regulatory preparations had been wanted to assist funding alternatives.
The growth of a framework that addresses investor safety, asset possession, disclosure and buying and selling could be necessary to the enlargement of tokenized securities in Nigeria.
