Economy
Risks and Collective Investment Schemes: A Case for Money Market Funds
Asset management companies in Nigeria are increasingly offering money market funds (MMFs) as an asset class to reach the country’s risk adverse retail market. These funds – which are perceived to be low risk alternatives to other more traditional asset classes, account for over 70% of collective investment schemes and 25% of non- pension assets under management.
In particular, MMFs offer comparable yields to short-term government securities, with an annualised yield of circa 13.2% as at Q1 2019, higher than the 11.3% on 90-day treasury bills as at the same date.
In managing these funds, asset managers have traditionally conformed to higher credit standards above the benchmarks, with most holding over 65% of net assets in risk free securities and other highly rated securities (above the benchmark of Bbb), resulting in a superior risk reward profile when compared with a number of investment vehicles.
Consequently, money market funds operating within these investment constraints typically have investment grade ratings from Agusto & Co., Nigeria’s foremost rating agency. As at 31 March 2019, Agusto & Co had live ratings for 14 of the 18 registered money market funds in Nigeria
Table 1: Fund Risk Rating League Table – Money Market Funds
| S/N | Fund | Fund Size ₦ Million | Agusto Fund Risk
Rating |
| 1 | Stanbic IBTC Money Market Fund | 253,221 | Aa(F) |
| 2 | ARM Money Market Fund | 52,920 | Aa(F) |
| 3 | FBN Money Market Fund | 137,501 | Aa-(F) |
| 4 | Abacus Money Market Fund | 9,889 | A+(F) |
| 5 | AXA Mansard Money Market Fund | 26,074 | A(F) |
| 6 | United Capital Money Market Fund | 3,581 | A(F) |
| 7 | Chapel Hill Denham Money Market Fund | 1,306 | A(F) |
| 8 | Meristem Money Market Fund | 761 | A(F) |
| 9 | EDC Money Market Fund (A) | 6,052 | A-(F) |
| EDC Money Market Fund (B) | 465 | A-(F) | |
| 10 | Zenith Money Market Fund | 6,847 | A-(F) |
| 11 | Coronation Money Market Fund | 5,653 | A-(F) |
| 12 | Cordros Money Market Fund | 5,261 | A-(F) |
| 13 | Legacy Money Market Fund | 1,499 | A-(F) |
| 14 | GDL Money Market Fund | 866 | Bbb+(F) |
Source: Agusto & Co and Securities and Exchange Commission (Information as at 29 March 2019)
An Agusto & Co fund risk rating assesses exposure to downside (loss of principal) risk based on a portfolio’s investment strategy and guidelines. In particular, we assess a Fund’s exposure to credit, liquidity, interest rate, currency and pricing risks.
Money market funds are set to continue to dominate the collective investment schemes market in the short to medium term, accounting for a projected 28% of total non-pension AuM by 2021 (2018: 25%), with at least three additional MMFs expected to launch in 2019 alone. Our expectation is supported by the current high-risk environment, which has resulted in many investors being more conservative and seeking risk averse asset classes away from traditional fixed income and equity instruments.
Money market funds continue to appeal to a broad spectrum of customers ranging from institutional investors to HNIs and the mass affluent. Furthermore, these funds target members of the general public, with many MMFs having a minimum investment range of ₦5,000 – ₦10,000.
We expect these funds to continue to drive retail participation in the Nigerian capital market, given the current macroeconomic headwinds that continue to hamper the performance of other traditional investment outlets. We believe that in the long term, Money Market Funds may represent the silver lining in mobilising savings and creating a huge pool of investible funds while also creating a new culture of savings and investments.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange opened the week with a 0.52 per cent rise on Monday, July 20, driven by renewed buying interest.
The volume of securities traded during the opening session surged by 6,663.3 per cent to 52.6 million units from the previous 777,002 units, and the value of securities rose by 200.9 per cent to N191.2 million from the preceding session’s N104.2 million, while the number of deals depreciated by 15.2 per cent to 28 deals compared to the preceding session’s 33 deals.
Great Nigeria Insurance (GNI) Plc remained the most active stock by value on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units sold for N8.4 billion, followed by Infrastructure Credit Guarantee (Infracredit) Plc with 2.3 billion units valued at N6.5 billion in trades, and Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc with 75.4 million units exchanged for N5.3 billion.
GNI Plc also closed the day as the most traded stock by volume on a year-to-date basis, with 3.4 billion units worth N8.4 billion, followed by Infracredit Plc with 2.3 billion units transacted for N6.5 billion, and Resourcery Plc with 1.1 billion units traded for N415.7 million.
Yesterday, there were two price gainers and three price losers, led by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc, which slid by 66 Kobo to end at N141.15 per unit versus last Friday’s N141.81 per unit, Food Concepts Plc lost 24 Kobo to close at N2.31 per share versus N2.55 per share, and Geo-Fluids Plc declined by 17 Kobo to settle at N2.25 per unit compared with the previous closing price of N2.42 per unit.
Conversely, CSCS Plc chalked up N5.19 to close at N99.33 per share versus N94.14 per share, and Mass Telecoms Plc appreciated by 3 Kobo to sell at 35 Kobo per unit from 32 Kobo per unit.
As a result, the market capitalisation increased by N13.57 billion to N2.606 trillion from N2.593 trillion, and the NASD Security Index (NSI) gained 22.6 points to quote at 4,343.27 points, in contrast to the previous 4,320.67 points.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira almost traded flat against the United States Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Monday, July 20. It gained 7 Kobo during the session to sell at N1,380.11/$1, in contrast to last Friday’s value of N1,380.18/$1.
It also appreciated against the Euro in the same market window during the session by N1.64 to close at N1,575.95/€1 versus the preceding session’s N1,576.99/€1, but depreciated against the Pound Sterling by N2.93 to trade at N1,857.35/£1 compared with the previous trading day’s N1,854.42/£1.
At the GTBank forex desk, the Nigerian Naira lost N1 against the US Dollar to quote at N1,389/$1 versus N1,388/$1, and at the black market, it traded flat at N1,405/$1.
Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that interbank FX turnover settled at $266.2 million, 7.5 per cent lower than the previous close of $287.8 million. Also, the number of deals at the interbank FX market declined to 68 from 106.
Despite this, there are signals that the Naira has pillars that can prop up its stability. Updated data from the apex bank showed Nigeria’s gross foreign exchange reserves increased to $51.92 billion as of July 16, 2026, reflecting continued improvements in the country’s external position.
A slew of analysts predict further increases will lift the gross balance above $52 billion this week, the highest seen since 2009.
Also, there are expectations that the country will be able to boost remittances into the country to $1 billion on a monthly basis by the end of the year; this will help ease pressure on the FX markets.
Meanwhile, in the crypto market, Bitcoin (BTC) climbed to about $65,500, reaching a two-week high, as the semiconductor selloff that dragged crypto lower last week reversed and Asian chip stocks led a broad risk rally. It rose by 2.4 per cent to $65,676.01.
There was also support from five straight days of inflows into US spot Bitcoin ETFs totalling more than $600 million, marking the strongest stretch of institutional buying since mid-July.
Cardano (ADA) jumped by 8.3 per cent to $0.1756, Ethereum (ETH) grew by 4.0 per cent to $1,930.33, Ripple (XRP) improved by 3.9 per cent to $1.13, Solana (SOL) appreciated by 3.2 per cent to $78.34, Binance Coin (BNB) added 1.9 per cent to sell for $575.34, and Dogecoin (DOGE) expanded by 1.7 per cent rise to $0.0729.
However, TRON (TRX) declined by 0.1 per cent to $0.3261, and the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) traded flat at $1.00 each
By Dipo Olowookere
Sustained bargain-hunting in local stocks further lifted the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited by 1.12 per cent on Monday.
The buying pressure was across the major sectors of Customs Street, though the consumer goods space came under profit-taking, closing flat.
But the banking counter expanded by 3.14 per cent, the industrial goods index gained 2.82 per cent, the insurance sector increased by 0.25 per cent, and the energy segment soared by 0.08 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) surged by 2,721.83 points to 246,183.96 points from 243,462.13 points, and the market capitalisation went up by N1.755 trillion to N158.812 trillion from N157.057 trillion.
Custodian Investment and NEM Insurance chalked up 10.00 per cent each to sell for N75.90 and N30.80, respectively, BUA Cement rose by 9.98 per cent to N303.10, First Holdco improved by 9.95 per cent to N105.50, and FTN Cocoa advanced by 9.94 per cent to N9.29.
On the flip side, SUNU Assurances shrank by 10.00 per cent to N3.60, Tripple Gee slipped by 9.77 per cent to N3.51, ABC Transport tumbled by 9.62 per cent to N7.05 per cent, Abbey Bank crashed by 9.00 per cent to N9.10, and Coronation Insurance dipped by 7.69 per cent to N2.40.
The market breadth index was flat yesterday, as there were 31 price gainers and 31 price losers.
First Holdco led the activity chart during the session, with a turnover of 203.9 million shares valued at N21.5 billion. Access Holdings sold 190.7 million equities worth N4.8 billion, UBA traded 29.2 million stocks for N1.4 billion, Zenith Bank transacted 24.7 million shares valued at N2.9 billion, and Sterling Holdings exchanged 23.6 million equities worth N187.4 million.
When trading activities ended at 4 pm, investors traded 851.6 million stocks for N49.6 billion in 56,873 deals compared with the 685.9 million stocks valued at N42.7 billion transacted in 44,134 deals last Friday, representing a rise in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 24.16 per cent, 16.16 per cent, and 28.86 per cent, respectively.
