GSE hosts inaugural ICMA West Africa conference

The Ghana Stock Exchange (GSE), will host the inaugural International Capital Market Association (ICMA) West Africa Conference with the aim of strengthening regional capital markets.

Hosted in collaboration with the ICMA, the conference will bring together capital market players, policymakers and industry experts to discuss a wide range of issues.

The one-day conference, which is scheduled for tomorrow, ( April 10, 2025), in Accra, will convene regulators, financial institutions and global market leaders to discuss strategies for driving innovation, boosting investment and enhancing resilience across West Africa’s bond markets.

The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the ICMA, Bryan Pascoe, will lead a delegation of international experts alongside West African regulators, institutional investors and industry leaders to explore actionable solutions for sustainable capital market growth.

The conference will address key areas such as market development, liquidity enhancement and regulatory improvements, with panel discussions focusing on the region’s macroeconomic outlook and the challenges and opportunities within Africa’s bond markets.

The ICMA will also deliver presentations on building resilient primary and secondary bond markets and highlight the latest fintech innovations shaping global capital markets.

Africa’s economic reforms

The Head of Marketing and Public Relations at the GSE, Jerry Boachie-Danquah, who briefed a section of the media, said there would be a keynote presentation which will provide insights into ongoing economic reforms across Africa, highlighting growth prospects, investment opportunities and challenges facing regional markets.

Macroeconomic trends shaping policy decisions and their impact on capital market development will be examined by experts in the field. 

Why the conference matters

Explaining why the conference, Mr Boachie-Danquah said, as Ghana and West Africa advanced towards deeper capital market integration, the ICMA West Africa conference offers a platform for stakeholders to collaborate on improving market efficiency, strengthening investor confidence and fostering long-term financial stability.

For the GSE, he said hosting the conference highlighted its commitment to driving market development, fostering innovation and promoting regional capital market integration.

He said representatives from securities and exchange commissions across West Africa would engage in a discussion and share diverse perspectives on how regulatory reforms can accelerate local market development.

Discussions will cover investor protection, market transparency and policy initiatives to drive capital market growth.

Panel discussions

The current state of Africa’s bond markets will be analysed by industry experts to identify barriers to liquidity, investor participation and market growth.

Panellists will further discuss the role of institutional investors, government policies and financial instruments in shaping a more dynamic bond market ecosystem.

The focus of the discussion will be on the fundamentals of settlement, clearing, regulation and best practices in bond market development.

Industry experts will explore the importance of efficient clearing and settlement mechanisms, regulatory frameworks, and international standards to ensure market stability and investor confidence.