Economy
E-Dividends Registration: Investors Rush to Beat Deadline
By Dipo Olowookere
There is last-minute rush by shareholders in the Nigerian capital market to register for free for the electronic dividend (e-dividend) payment system introduced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
The regulatory agency fixed December 31, 2017 as deadline for the free registration of the e-dividend payment system.
Last month, while addressing capital market correspondents, the suspended Director General of SEC, Mr Mounir Gwarzo, had lamented the low level of enrolment for the e-dividend exercise, noting that the level of compliance had dropped lately.
He had said in August 2017, a total of 50,819 investors registered for the e-dividend, while it increased to 59,204 in September, but dropped to 37,153 in October.
Mr Gwarzo had warned that SEC would not extend the December 31, 2017 deadline for the registration despite pleas by stakeholders for an extension.
According to him, SEC has been underwriting the cost of the e-dividend and from next year, investors will have to pay N150 for the exercise.
“We realised that there is a slow pace in terms of the implementation of the e-dividend as in the last three-four months, there has not been appreciable increase in terms of number of people registering.
“By December 31, 2017, any Nigerian that does not register for e-dividend will now have to pay N150 for registration.
“We have been pursuing this initiative since last year and SEC has been underwriting the cost. The moment you start extending, people will think they have 100 years to do it.
“I don’t think we should keep on extending it, we want to keep our word on that December 31. Whoever that does not register should be able to pay the amount stipulated,” Mr Gwarzo had told newsmen.
At the first Capital Market Committee (CMC) meeting for 2017, Mr Gwarzo had disclosed that about 2.2 million investors in the capital market registered for the e-dividend payment system.
But with three working days left before the deadline, there is a huge rush for registration.
From January 1, 2018, investors in the capital market will no longer be able to receive their dividends physically, but would be paid directly into their bank accounts.
Business Post gathered that investors, who were yet to register for the exercise, are in a last-minute rush to key into the system.
However, some of them complained that the process of registering for the exercise has been cumbersome.
According to the Nation, a cross section of capital market stakeholders at the weekend showed increased activities on the registration. At the various registration points – banks, registrars and stockbrokers, officials confirmed that there have been noticeable increases in request for e-dividend.
Stakeholders, who spoke with The Nation at the weekend called on SEC to extend the e-dividend registration citing hitches that had slowed down the process of registration. They noted that given the importance of the e-dividend system to the stock market, SEC should allow the e-dividend and dividend warrants to run concurrently while improving enlightenment campaign for the e-dividend.
Shareholders United Front (SUF) National Coordinator, Mr Gbenga Idowu, said SEC should extend the deadline for the e-dividend registration to enable retail shareholders that are having difficulties with the registration to resolve the issues.
He urged SEC to widen its publicity campaign to other nooks and crannies of the country.
Standard Shareholders Association of Nigeria National President, Mr Godwin Anono, said SEC should allow open-ended registration for the e-dividend as part of its market development mandate.
He alleged that registrars were frustrating shareholders with unnecessary additional requirements for the e-dividend even when shareholders have provided their Biometric Verification Number (BVN).
According to him, many registrars were stalling the e-dividend registration because they are the main beneficiaries of the lopsided system where dividends are either delayed or categorised as unclaimed.
Constance Shareholders Association of Nigeria National President, Mallam Shehu Mikhail, said SEC should compel the three main stakeholders in the registration process – the Central Securities Clearing System, registrars and stockbroking firms to harmonise their data base using the Know-Your-Customer (KYC) information from the stockbroking firms.
SEC last year announced last June 30, as deadline for issuing physical dividend warrants but later extended it to December 31 to shareholders by quoted companies to tackle unclaimed dividends and mitigate the risks associated with warrants.
In November 2015, SEC launched the E-Dividend Mandate Management System (E-DMMS) with the Central Bank of Nigeria, Nigerian Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS) and other stakeholders. The E-DMMS is an E-dividend payment portal that ensures the payment of dividends into a shareholder’s account.
It is believed that these steps taken by the Commission would help to reduce the increase of unclaimed dividend which stood at N117 billion as at December 31, 2016. Of this figure, N86 billion was in the custody of the paying companies while N13.7 billion was with the registrars. From November 2015, when the SEC kicked off the campaign on e-dividends, about N42.2 billion has been paid to investors from the backlog of unclaimed dividends.
By Dipo Olowookere
The bulls regained control of the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited on Friday after surrendering power to the bears a day earlier as a result of mild selling pressure.
Yesterday, the Nigerian bourse rebounded by 0.54 per cent, mainly due to the gains recorded by First Holdco and others.
Data harvested by Business Post indicated that the industrial goods and energy sectors were flat, while the banking index chalked up 3.13 per cent. The insurance space expanded by 1.08 per cent, and the consumer goods counter rose by 0.21 per cent.
Consequently, the All-Share Index (ASI) went up by 1,316.52 points to 243,462.13 points from 242,145.61 points, and the market capitalisation grew by N850 billion to N157.057 trillion from N156.207 trillion.
The market breadth index was bullish during the last trading session of this week, printing 31 appreciating stocks and 23 depreciating stocks, representing strong investor sentiment.
First Holdco led the advancers’ log after it climbed 9.97 per cent to N95.95, Haldane McCall appreciated by 9.94 per cent to N3.65, LivingTrust Mortgage Bank soared by 9.73 per cent to N3.72, LASACO Assurance jumped by 5.26 per cent to N2.00, and Thomas Wyatt gained 5.10 per cent to quote at N3.09.
On the flip side, Red Star Express declined by 9.50 per cent to N20.00, Omatek slipped by 6.08 per cent to N1.70, C&I Leasing shrank by 5.93 per cent to N5.55, Jaiz Bank crashed by 5.03 per cent to N8.50, and Livestock Feed fell by 3.89 per cent to N8.65.
As for the activity chart, market participants bought and sold 685.9 million equities for N42.7 billion in 44,134 deals on Friday versus the 498.5 million equities worth N34.9 billion traded in 39,484 deals on Thursday, implying a rise in the trading volume, value, and number of deals by 37.59 per cent, 22.35 per cent, and 11.78 per cent, respectively.
Investors’ darling for the day was First Holdco, with a turnover of 225.9 billion units valued at N21.0 billion, Guinea Insurance sold 53.4 million units for N45.2 million, Zenith Bank traded 41.5 million units worth N4.7 billion, Access Holdings exchanged 29.1 million units valued at N720.6 million, and UBA exchanged 27.5 million units for N1.2 billion.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Africa Association of Professional Freight Forwarders and Logistics of Nigeria (APFFLON) has appealed to the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) to deepen its sensitisation on the newly introduced Green Tax Surcharge Policy.
The chairman of APFFLON, Mr Akeem Ayobiojo, made this plea on behalf of his colleagues on Tuesday, July 14, 2026, at the Customs House in Abuja, during a stakeholders’ engagement with the agency.
He also called for improvements in the administration of Pre-Arrival Assessment Reports and Post Clearance Audit and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
Mr Ayobiojo stated that freight forwarders were happy to work with the customs, commending the organisation for implementing Chapter 99, describing it as a major relief for manufacturers.
He, however, emphasised that a deeper understanding of the new tax was necessary for his members, saying more predictable procedures would reduce delays and unexpected costs for importers and freight forwarders.
In his remarks, the Comptroller-General of Customs, Mr Adewale Adeniyi, assured manufacturers, freight forwarders and other players in the nation’s trade sector that the NCS would continue to engage them on fiscal policies affecting their businesses, saying sustained dialogue remains key to resolving implementation challenges and improving the country’s trading environment.
He also promised them the service’s resolve to enhance and facilitate trade, acknowledging that, “Your feedback is important because it helps us understand what is happening in the field, and where necessary, we will take your concerns to the Federal Ministry of Finance and other relevant government institutions.”
Speaking about Authorised Economic Operator (AEO), Mr Adeniyi further explained that Nigeria would not lower the standards required under the Authorised Economic Operator Programme as the initiative is guided by global benchmarks established by the World Customs Organisation (WCO).
On her part, the Deputy Comptroller-General of Customs for Tariff and Trade, Ms Caroline Niagwan, clarified that electric vehicles can be imported without payment of duty only by holders of Import Duty Exemption Certificate (IDEC) issued by the Federal Ministry of Finance.
She also urged importers facing classification disputes to take advantage of the Advance Ruling system, noting, “Once an Advance Ruling is issued based on genuine documentation, importers have certainty on classification, valuation or origin before the goods arrive, thereby reducing unnecessary disputes during clearance.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira appreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Friday, July 17, by N1.35 or 0.07 per cent to N1,380.18/$1 from N1,381.53/$1.
It also improved its value against the Pound Sterling in the same market segment during the session by N11.75 to trade at N1,854.42/£1 compared with the previous day’s N1,866.17/£1, and gained N5.69 against the Euro to sell at N1,576.99/€1 versus Thursday’s closing price of N1,582.68/€1.
In the same vein, the Naira chalked up N1 against the United States currency yesterday at the GTBank forex desk to quote at N1,388/$1, in contrast to the preceding day’s N1,389/$1, but closed flat at the black market at N1,405/$1.
The appreciation of the Nigerian currency on Friday came amid fresh signals that Nigeria is building its external reserves for protection against shocks and excessive currency volatility.
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, said the country’s gross reserves had risen above approximately $52 billion by 15 July, while net reserves had increased from about $3 billion when the current CBN leadership took office to more than $40 billion.
Mr Cardoso linked the increase in reserves to reforms that had restored greater confidence in the foreign exchange system. He also pointed to efforts to diversify foreign currency inflows, including policies designed to increase remittances through official channels.
He noted that monthly diaspora remittances had risen above $600 million and the CBN expected them to reach approximately $1 billion by the end of 2026. The target is part of a broader effort to grow reserves through recurring inflows rather than temporary measures.
The improvement, he argued, had strengthened Nigeria’s capacity to respond when unexpected events threatened market stability.
The apex bank has also launched a new digital platform that will track every foreign exchange transaction involving Bureau De Change (BDC) operators, marking a major step in its efforts to improve transparency and strengthen oversight of Nigeria’s retail forex market.
As for the crypto market, prices were up as markets overlooked geopolitical developments and macro forces weighing on the whole market ecosystem rather than anything crypto-specific, with Cardano (ADA) up by 4.6 per cent to $0.1661.
Bitcoin (BTC) jumped by 1.8 per cent to $63,968.32, Ethereum (ETH) improved by 0.9 per cent to $1,843.88, Dogecoin (DOGE) also rose by 0.9 per cent to $0.0723, Solana (SOL) soared by 0.6 per cent to $74.90, Ripple (XRP) also appreciated by 0.6 per cent to $1.08, and Binance Coin (BNB) advanced by 0.1 per cent to $567.32.
However, TRON (TRX) depreciated by 0.2 per cent to close at $0.3218, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.
