Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Taiwo Oyedele, has urged the Federal Government to list selected state-owned companies, including the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) and Nigeria LNG Limited (NLNG), on the capital market to attract investment and expand market value to $1 trillion.

Oyedele made the call at the 2026 National Capital Market Conference on Monday, saying Nigeria should pursue a more ambitious growth target than the Securities and Exchange Commission’s plan to increase the market’s value from about N250 trillion to N750 trillion by 2036.

He said building a $1 trillion capital market within the next decade would support the country’s ambition to grow its economy to $1 trillion by 2030 and sustain further expansion in subsequent years.

According to the minister, Nigeria needs to mobilise more domestic savings, attract foreign investors and provide businesses with better access to long-term funding within the country.

Oyedele said listing selected government-owned enterprises would improve transparency, widen public ownership and create additional investment opportunities for Nigerians and international investors.

He specifically identified NNPC and NLNG as potential candidates, arguing that making shares in the companies available to the public could significantly increase the size of the capital market.

The minister cited Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia’s state-backed oil company, as a comparison for the potential market value that a major national energy company could bring.

He added that selling shares in government-owned businesses would allow Nigerians to benefit more directly from the value generated by national assets while strengthening the domestic investment market.