The circular released last Friday by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) imposing tenure limits on directors of capital market operators has thrown Nigeria’s financial markets into anxiety, with many industry players grappling to understand the implication on the market, who is affected and how soon enforcement will begin.
In the circular, SEC announced that directors of all Capital Market Operators (CMOs) designated as “significant public interest entities” will now be subject to strict tenure limits. SEC said directors may now serve a maximum of 10 consecutive years in the same company and 12 consecutive years across the same group structure.
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According to Nairametrics, the Commission also introduced a 3-year “cool-off period” for Chief Executive Officers and Executive Directors who complete their maximum tenure, before they can be appointed as Chairmen. Even then, their tenure as Chairman will be capped at four years.
Operators have expressed concern over the lack of clarity on who qualifies as a “significant public interest entity.” Many fear the rules could prematurely end the careers of long-serving executives who have been instrumental in building some of the country’s most prominent capital market institutions.
As the implementation continue, it is certain that there will be major board and management reshuffle
Here is the circular
Circular To All Public Companies And Capital Market Operators On The Transmutation Of Independent Non-Executive Directors And Tenure Of Directors
Public Companies and Capital Market Operators:
The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the Commission) has been drawn to the prevalence in recent times of the rotation of various directorship positions among individuals within the same entity or Group of companies. In particular, the Commission observes the worrying trend of the transmutation/conversion of Independent Non-Executive Directors (INEDs) to Executive Directors, including to the position of the Chief Executive Officer.
This practice clearly erodes the neutrality of the transmuting INEDs, compromises their ability going forward to provide objective judgment and is generally antithetical to the principles which underpin independent directorship as outlined in both the National Code of Corporate Governance (NCCG) as well as the SEC Corporate Governance Guidelines (SCGG). Accordingly, the Commission hereby directs the discontinuance forthwith of the transmutation of INEDs into Executive Directors within the same company or its Group structure by Public Companies and significant public interest capital market operators.
Significant public interest Capital Market Operators
In addition, pursuant to its powers under Section 355(r)(iv) of the Investments and Securities Act (ISA) 2025 to prescribe corporate governance standards for regulated entities, the Commission hereby directs that, the tenure of Directors of all Capital Market Operators considered as significant public interest entities, as determined by the Commission, would be limited to 10 consecutive years in the same company and a total of 12 consecutive years within the same group structure.
Furthermore, a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director who steps down after 10 or 12 consecutive years, as the case may be, cannot be appointed as Chairman until the expiration of a 3-year “cool off period”. The tenure of such former Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director as Chairman shall be for a maximum of 4 years and no more.
The foregoing directives take immediate effect and compliance is mandatory. Public Companies and Capital Market Operators are therefore required to take the directives into account in their board appointments and succession planning.
Kindly note that years already served by the affected appointees will count towards computing the exit date for the 10 and 12 years’ tenures respectively.
SIGNED:
MANAGEMENT
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