Arunma Oteh

Arunma Oteh OON is a Nigerian economist. She was the Treasurer and a Vice President of the World Bank (2015–2018). She became the Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) in Nigeria in January 2010. In this position she was responsible for regulation of Nigeria's capital markets, including the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Quotes

• My country is a country where the entrepreneurial spirit is just outstanding. You’ve got really hard-working people who are keen to make a difference in many ways, and the capital markets provide the opportunity for people to raise capital and for people to also invest in the market.
  • Talking about the Spirit of Nigeria to entrepreneurship

• For any country I do feel strongly that capital markets are extremely important, but more so for Nigeria than any other, because it’s almost been 50 years since independence.
  • Her reply when asked what’s the nature of the task ahead of her during an interview (10 March 2010)

• Capacity is an understanding of the risks of investing in the market, an understanding of the products available in the market, an understanding of the role of different players.
  • Financial Times interview transcript: Arunma Oteh

• Evidently, a world-class capital market is absolutely essential to Nigeria’s economy.
  • Arunma Oteh: Zero Tolerance For Impropriety (10 October 2011)

• Academic economics is the lab, or economics in the lab, while policymaking is economics in real life.
  • Her explanation on differences between academic economics and policymaking

• I believe that no one benefits when anyone is in distress. So if we don’t have capitalism that works for all and addresses all the various forms of inequalities, we will neither have prosperous citizens nor have a safe and peaceful planet.
  • Her explanation during an interview when asked if capitalism is the best one to serve the needs of humanity (4 July 2021)

• Economics indeed matters because it enables us to measure all aspects of the well-being of society using what I consider a common standard, especially because I do believe - like it’s often said - that it is difficult to manage what you can’t measure.
  • The reason Economics matters

• The role of Treasurer, World Bank, is one of the most prestigious finance roles globally, not only because of the volume and level of sophistication of transactions, but also because of the laudable mission of the World Bank, and the fact that it is owned by most countries of the world and operates everywhere.
  • Her reply when asked if she felt special being the first black treasurer of the World Bank (19 March 2023)

• I believe that mentorship is a way to give back and contribute to preparing future generation of leaders.
  • Her reply when asked of her thought about a mentorship programme for people who desire to attain similar heights as her