Economy
How a Small Business Owner Can Invest in Forex
Elevate your small business by increasing your available capital through our guide on how business owners can invest in the forex market.
How to Invest in Forex as a Business Owner
Most people who are building a retirement nest egg or hoping to make a big purchase may want to grow their savings through investment. Forex is very useful for such a purpose, as there are few barriers to entry and the learning curve is not very steep.
What many do not realize, however, is that small businesses can also benefit from trading forex. Using platforms such as OANDA, small business owners can ensure they have access to money in other currencies while investing their capital with the hopes of turning a profit on most trades.
Below is a guide that explains how you can start investing in currency today as a small business owner.
Why Currencies Fluctuate in Value
The key to investing in any asset or security is to predict whether the asset in question will rise or fall in value. Stocks fall and rise based on the perceptions of a company and its performance. Currencies rise and fall in value based on supply, demand, and other factors.
Currencies with high inflation are likely to see a drop in the value of their currency, as the country has less purchasing power due to inflation. Higher interest rates can also impact currency values, raising them, as investors who have money in that currency can now get higher returns on their funds. Lower interest rates usually see a drop in currency value.
Political stability, government debt, and the amount of foreign currency the central bank of the country in question owns can also impact the value of that country’s currency. If there is instability, the currency is likely to fall in value, while central banks can use foreign currencies to weather volatility in their currency’s value.
Why Trade in Currencies?
Many business owners may wonder why they need to trade in currencies. There are two primary reasons: having access to money in other currencies and making a profit on your existing capital.
If you have money sitting in your business account, putting it to use in the forex market is a great way to increase returns. Rather than keeping it in a company checking or savings account, you can get better returns through trading forex a few times a week.
Even if you are not interested in growing your capital through forex, but you plan to do business in other countries, using the market is useful. The forex market can help you access the best exchange rates while accruing small profits on trades.
Types of Forex Trades
There are two significant forms of trading foreign currencies, spot trading and futures trading. A spot trade is extremely simple, as you agree to exchange currencies with another party at a set price. The exchange rate is determined by the present value of both currencies.
A futures trade is a little more complex, as it involves buying or selling a currency for another at a set future date. A trader may engage in a futures trade if they believe the value of a currency will rise or fall within a set period of time.
Currency Pairings
When you first create an account at a site that allows you to trade on the Forex market, you will likely see a lot of currency pairings. You are trading in pairings, such as GBP/USD or EUR/USD. The pairings signify the two currencies you are exchanging, such as exchanging a Great British Pound for a United States Dollar or a Euro for a US Dollar.
The currencies that make up most of the Forex market are the US Dollar, Canadian Dollar, Great British Pound, Euro, Japanese Yen, Australian Dollar, and the Swiss Franc. You can trade other currencies, but finding other investors to complete spot trades and futures trades may be a little more difficult.
Liquid, 24-Hour Market
A significant advantage of the Forex market is that you are taking part in a highly liquid market that is active nearly 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Trading in foreign currencies opens on Monday morning in Australia and Asia and is ongoing 24 hours a day until Friday evening in the United States or South America.
The Forex market is extremely liquid, as you can complete spot and futures trades in a matter of seconds. If you are trading major currencies, finding a buyer that takes the opposite view of your investment is extremely easy.
Grow Your Business Through Forex
Business owners need to take advantage of every available resource if they are to grow their capital. Whether you are accessing capital through business loans, investors, or other means, you can increase the money available to your operation through trading.
While you may not have time to become an expert in stocks, the forex market is a lot easier to learn. Trading Forex allows you to access foreign currencies, which may be useful for doing business in other countries. You can also make a profit on most trades, provided you have some understanding of how the forex market works, and why currencies rise and fall in value.
If you are self-employed or running a small business, leveraging the forex market is a great way to put your capital to use.
By Adedapo Adesanya
NASD Plc, which operates Nigeria’s Over-the-Counter (OTC) securities exchange, has reaffirmed its commitment to reinforcing its long-term strategic direction and governance framework.
The exchange recently convened its major shareholders, board members, and executive management at a high-level stakeholder retreat in Lagos.
NASD said, “The retreat held in Lagos brought together key institutional stakeholders for in-depth discussions on NASD’s evolving role within Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem.
“The engagement provided a structured platform for shareholders and management to align on strategic priorities necessary to deepen institutional strength, enhance market relevance, and support sustainable growth.”
The company noted that deliberations focused on the importance of strong shareholder collaboration, disciplined strategy execution, and equitable governance practices to further strengthen investor confidence and long-term value creation.
The statement added that participants exchanged views on navigating market complexity, adapting to regulatory and economic changes, and ensuring that the Exchange continues to operate in line with global best practices while addressing the specific needs of Nigeria’s over-the-counter market.
NASD emphasised that the retreat highlighted the critical role of close alignment among shareholders, the Board, and executive leadership in shaping the Exchange’s next phase of development. By encouraging open dialogue and shared strategic intent, the engagement reaffirmed NASD’s commitment to transparency, institutional resilience, and leadership within the capital market.
The session concluded with a group engagement reflecting the depth of experience, governance oversight, and collective responsibility guiding NASD’s strategic outlook as it continues to enhance its contribution to Nigeria’s financial market architecture.
NASD posted a standout performance in 2025, with its market diversification strategy delivering a surge in listings, deeper market activity, and a sharp expansion in market value across its alternative trading platforms.
Last year, the market capitalisation on the exchange more than doubled to N2.12 trillion, representing a 106 per cent increase from N1.03 trillion in 2024. The number of admitted securities also rose marginally to 47, up from 45 in the prior year, reflecting a 4 per cent growth.
The NASD Securities Index (NSI) rose by 18 per cent to 3,543.74 points, compared with 3,002.68 points in 2024. Similarly, the NASD Pension Index advanced by 21 per cent to 1,032.88 points, up from 954.33 points.
Trading volumes surged significantly during the year. Total volume traded climbed to 14.03 billion units, marking a 377 per cent increase from 2.98 billion units in 2024. However, this sharp rise in volume contrasted with a decline in transaction value, which fell by 43 per cent to N59.29 billion, down from N103.96 billion in 2024.
The total number of deals executed on the platform dropped to 6,456, representing a 26 per cent decline from 8,724 deals recorded the previous year, indicating fewer but larger or more strategic transactions.
The exchange also recorded notable listings in 2025, with Infrastructure Credit Guarantee Company PLC (InfraCredit), Paintcom Investment Nigeria PLC (Paintcom), and MRS PLC admitted to trading.
By Bon Peters
The Area 1 Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, surpassed its 2025 revenue target by generating about N288.8 billion.
In the preceding financial year, the command generated N200.8 billion as revenue, indicating a year-on-year growth of 43.83 per cent.
Addressing journalists in Port Harcourt, the Customs Area 1 Controller, Comptroller Salamatu Atuluku, disclosed that the target for the command last year was N216.9 billion, indicating that this was surpassed by N71.8 billion or 33.1 per cent.
She attributed this achievement to the effectiveness of improved compliance monitoring, enhanced cargo examination processes, automation-driven controls, and sustained stakeholder sensitization.
According to her, the monthly revenue performance remained consistently strong throughout the year, with the highest collection recorded in October 2025 at N33.7 billion.
On export trade facilitation, she hinted that in line with the federal government’s economic diversification agenda, the command intensified efforts toward facilitating legitimate export trade, adding that within the year under review, it processed a total export volume of over a million metric tons, comprising both oil and non-oil commodities with a Free on Board (FOB) value of $463.6 million, which she said contributed meaningfully to Nigeria’s foreign exchange earnings.
In addition, Ms Atuluku stated that N838.02 million was paid as Nigeria Export Supervision Scheme (NESS) charges for both oil and non-oil exports during the year, noting that this reflected an increased exporter participation, improved documentation compliance, and the command’s deliberate efforts to streamline export procedures while ensuring adherence to extant regulations.
On anti-smuggling and enforcement activities, it was disclosed that the command sustained vigorous enforcement operations throughout 2025, deploying intelligence-led interventions, risk profiling, and routine cargo examinations to curb smuggling and protect national interests, resulting in the interception of undeclared pharmaceutical products at the NACHO shed.
The items intercepted included Progesterone 100mg/2ml, and Isifrane IP 250ml among others, discovered in three packages without the mandatory NAFDAC regulatory certification, contrary to import guidelines governing pharmaceutical products, the Controller stated.
In the year under review, the personnel of the command benefitted from periodic training programs, sensitization sessions, operational briefings, and system-focused engagements, particularly in areas of customs automation, risk management, enforcement procedures, and trade facilitation.
On infrastructural development, the command renovated the Quarter Guard, thereby enhancing access control, security coordination, and command presence at the main entry point, including the Command Staff Clinic which was renovated and upgraded to improve healthcare delivery and working conditions for medical personnel, and beneficiaries.
Also, the command executed a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) intervention on December 11, 2025, at the Model Primary School I and II, Orominike, D-Line, Port Harcourt, with the donation of customs-branded notebooks, school bags, and school uniforms, aimed at supporting basic education and easing the burden on pupils and parents within the host community.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Five securities caused the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange to experience a setback of 0.64 per cent on Monday, February 2.
During the first trading session of February 2026, FrieslandCampinaWamco Nigeria Plc shrank by N4.46 to end at N63.54 per unit versus the previous session’s N68.00 per unit, as Okitipupa Plc depreciated by N3.83 to close at N230.77 per share versus last Friday’s N234.60 per share.
Further, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) dropped 50 Kobo to sell at N40.00 per unit compared with the previous closing price of N40.50 per unit, UBN Property Plc dipped by 21 Kobo to N1.99 per share from N2.20 per share, and Acorn Petroleum Plc lost 3 Kobo to end at N1.35 per unit versus N1.38 per unit.
As a result, the market capitalisation went down by N13.98 billion to settle at N2.158 trillion, in contrast to the previous value of N2.171 trillion, and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) contracted by 23.35 points to settle at 3,606.76 points compared with last Friday’s closing value of 3,630.11 points.
Amid the loss, Geo-Fluids Plc managed to finish green after it chalked up 9 Kobo to sell at N6.84 per share versus the N5.75 per share it ended in the last trading day.
Yesterday, the volume of securities traded by investors surged by 1,238.5 per cent to 3.9 million units from 287,618 units, the value of securities increased by 1,075.2 per cent to N36.0 million from N3.1 million, and the number of deals soared by 90.5 per cent to 40 deals from 21 deals.
At the close of trades, CSCS Plc remained the most traded stock by value (year-to-date) with 15.4 million units valued at N623.9 million, followed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 1.7 million units worth N110.2 million, and Geo-Fluids Plc with 10.6 million units sold for N69.9 million.
CSCS Plc was also the most active stock by volume (year-to-date) with 15.4 million units traded for N623.9 million, trailed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 10.6 million units worth N69.9 million, and Mass Telecom Innovation Plc with 10.1 million units transacted for N4.1 million.
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