Modupe Gbadeyanka
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Investors in the Nigerian capital market have been advised to make it a habit to always monitor their investments and have good knowledge about the company they invest in.
Acting Director-General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Ms Mary Uduk, who gave this advice at a meeting with the Association of Corporate Trustees in Abuja, however, said efforts would be made by her agency to protect the interests of shareholders.
“We are doing a lot to boost investors’ confidence in our market. But I want to say that both local and foreign investors are very good for the market. For instance, the foreign investors, because they trade their shares all of the time it leads to price discovery as against the local investors that just takes a long term view on their investments,” she said.
“Investors’ fears can be of two folds, firstly they could be afraid because they feel that capital market operators will mismanage their investments, secondly is looking at the volatility of the market that makes investors sceptical.
“For the first scenario, we have a number of initiatives that we have put in place to boost investors’ confidence. We have the E-Dividend mandate system, the Direct Cash Settlement as well as multiple subscriptions in place.
“For the second category, investors have to take ownership of their investments. They have to be able to monitor their investments, attend Annual General Meetings as well as read the annual reports sent out to them,” Ms Uduk, who was represented at the meeting by the Acting Executive Commissioner, Operations of SEC, Mr Isyaku Tilde, said.
She said further that investors are also protected through the National Investors Protection Fund (NIPF), Risk Based supervision that enables the SEC to supervise the operators to ensure that they do not do what they are not supposed to do.
She further said SEC was taking steps to reduce transaction costs in the Nigerian capital market so as to shield investors from high charges.
According to her, this was why the agency reduced the capital market charges to ensure that investors do not bear unnecessary costs.
Ms Uduk noted that it was the responsibility of the SEC to ensure that investors are not short-changed in any transactions in the market and therefore urged them to participate in the market to grow it.
The SEC chief also advised investors averse to risk to consult their financial advisers on where to invest, saying, “We also advise retail investors to invest in Collective Investment Schemes and Mutual Funds because those are managed independently by professionals and they are diversified thereby reducing risks.
“We are committed to protecting investors in the work we do. We will keep working on our rules and the possibility of amending them when the need arises, we want more transparency in the market so that investors will feel comfortable and the market can be better.”
In her remarks, President of the Association of Corporate Trustees, Mrs Tokunboh Ajayi, said members of the association are committed to attracting investors to the market without encumbering them with costs and commended the SEC on its efforts in transaction costs reduction.
“This market is dynamic and that is why as a group we keep on evolving and devising ways to make the market better. We will continue to render our best and ensure our members operate within the confines of the rules and regulations in the market” she stated.
