“West Africa faces urgent developmental challenges, from infrastructure deficits and climate adaptation to digital transformation and job creation. An integrated regional capital market is no longer a luxury; it is a necessity,” he said. He emphasised that West Africa, home to over 400 million people with a combined GDP of about $800 billion, has even greater potential. Presenting the objectives of the West Africa Securities Regulators Association (WASRA), Agama explained that the body was established to anchor market integration, strengthen investor confidence, and ensure proper regulation of capital markets. The capital market is a major vehicle to support the development of critical infrastructure, facilitate gross capital formation, and break down barriers to the movement of capital within the region.