Nigeria Islamic finance hub dream fading on knowledge gap

Nigeria’s aim to be a hub for Islamic finance is failing to materialise as a shortage of skilled and knowledgeable operators and lack of products combine to slow the sector’s take-off. There are very few professionals, such as lawyers and accountants who are conversant with Islamic Finance. Moreover, liquidity management in the country's industry is also a big problem, due to a lack of products. In 2013, the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) established a Non-Interest Capital Market 10-year Masterplan Committee, to develop strategies to foster the Sharia compliant sector. Although there has been some progress, activities in the sector are way below potential.