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How to Invest in Stocks in Nigeria: Guide for Beginners

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Invest in Stocks

One of the most efficient and successful ways of building wealth over a long period of time is through investing in stocks.

All the most successful people have dedicated themselves to investing. One of the prime examples of stock investors is Warren Buffet.

Investing in stock allows you to invest your money in a company and reap the benefits of the company’s growth through the years.

The biggest misconception that exists or existed is that there’s a barrier to entry due to large funds being involved in the stock market. But it’s not at all true. With the technology and facilities that exist today, you can invest as little as N500 to start.

As an investor who is looking to invest in stocks, you need to start by depositing money into an online investment account. From there onwards, you can find yourself a suitable investment broker and start investing in stocks.

How do you invest in stocks?

You always hear some of your friends say that they have started investing in stocks, but you are unaware of how to do it? Or what is it all about?

In this guide, we will help you clearly understand all the steps and procedures needed to start investing in stocks or trading them.

  1. Choose how you want to invest

There are so many different ways to start investing in stocks, but the first and foremost question you need to answer is that whether you need help with your investments or whether you are aware of what you are doing and you know which stocks to buy.

If you are someone who knows what stocks they want to buy, then it is best that you start off by opening an individual account with a stockbroker and start investing in stocks as per your investment strategy.

If you are someone who needs help with your investments, then it’s ideal to invest in mutual funds or ETFs. Mutual funds are managed by qualified professionals and there are many funds with different investment strategies. Some invest in gold, some in equities etc. and you can choose one based on which markets you want to invest in. Mutual funds are usually safe since they are regulated and managed by professionals.

With a mutual fund, you don’t need to do any research on your own. There is someone who is willing to do all the work for you for a small fee. Everything is taken care of and you needn’t do much apart from providing funds for investments.

  1. Create your investment plan

Before you begin investing in stocks, the question you will need to ask yourself is why are you interested to invest? Is it because you want to make quick money? Or you want to have a secure source of income for the long term?

As an investor, you need to decide whether you are looking at short term or long-term gains. There’s no doubt that you can make money with short term as well as long-term investing but long-term investing mitigates risks like short-term market volatility and gives you a more secure investment.

Let me explain short-term and long-term through an example. Due to COVID-19, the markets fell by as high as 40 per cent, but within a few months, the market recovered and has since then recovered all the losses.

So, if you were a short-term investor buying a stock, you would likely have lost a lot of money due to market crash had you not held on until the market regained. But if you were a long-term investor, these market conditions wouldn’t have affected your investments a lot.

Long term investors generally focus on value investing and select companies they want to invest in for many years. While short-term investors focus on trading and making money from market movements.

So, set your goals accordingly, don’t expect your money to double over a day or a week, the prices of stocks gradually increase and your wealth gets accumulated over years. This is why you need to be patient and allow market forces to react and drive your prices up. If you have chosen a good company to invest in, then you can be certain that the prices will go up in a few years.

Use a savings and investment compound calculator tool to manage your goals, plan your investments and decide how much you want to save or gain in 10 years.

If you made a small investment as little as 38,12,500 Naira in S&P 500 Index 30-40 years ago, then would have been a millionaire today. This is what the stock market can do for you.

Here’s an example for you that gives you a rough idea about how much you can earn with a small investment over a long period of time:

If you start with N38,050.00 in a savings account earning a 7 per cent interest rate, compounded monthly, and make N3,805.00 deposits on a monthly basis.

After 10 years, your savings account will have grown to N738,897.07 of which N494,650.00 is the total of your beginning balance plus deposits, and N244,247.07 is the total interest earnings.

Invest in Stocks

  1. Open a trading account

If you are looking to invest in local companies, you can check the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited and choose a stockbroker that will allow you to invest in NGX.

But if you want to invest in international companies that are not listed on the NGX but listed somewhere like New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), then you can choose an online trading platform such as Bamboo, Chaka, Weath.ng etc.

If you are only looking to trade securities i.e., buy or short sell them for the short term, then you can also trade stock CFDs via a Tier-1 licensed forex broker or you can trade stock options via an international broker that accepts Nigerian clients.

As per research by Forex Brokers SA, there are no locally regulated CFD brokers in Nigeria but there are 40+ FSCA regulated South African derivative brokers that accept traders from Nigeria. These brokers offer NASDAQ, American and European stock CFDs.

There are several online platforms in Nigeria that allow you to invest in stocks all around the world, so choose a platform that allows you to invest in a wide variety of stocks and other commodities.

For new investors who are not aware of how the market functions or you are not familiar with the investment process, its highly advisable that you open your account through a Mutual Fund advisor so they can assist you with the entire process and you also will be able to learn and adapt quickly.

Every online platform or stockbroker requires you to complete KYC before you start trading as it’s mandatory. You would normally be asked for your BVN number, ID proof and address proof.

Make sure you provide the correct details and original documents for verification. If there is an error in KYC documents, then there are high chances that you will not be allowed to open your account or likely face issues during withdrawals.

  1. Decide which stocks do you want to buy

Once you have opened your trading account; you can view all the stocks available on the platform or what the stockbroker offers.

Experienced investors diversify their investments into different stocks and other asset classes like metals, commodities since it is more secure and helps you build a diverse portfolio.

So, avoid investing in just one company, look around the platform and view what other options you might have.

A word of advice to new investors is that don’t invest in every stock you see; you need to understand what the company does and what their business is. After you understand everything about a company and how it is doing, you can further decide to invest in it.

If you are considering investing in a particular company, then you might want to calculate their intrinsic value, which would include analysing the margin of safety, EPS, book value, cash flow and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA).

Once you are aware of all these things, then it will help you make an informed decision.

  1. Make a budget

The budget is entirely dependent on your lifestyle.

First list all your expenses and take away money for your rent, utilities and groceries and keep it away. The next is to list all your debts and liabilities such as loan repayment, EMI etc.

Once you know what you need for your necessities and liabilities, you will know how much you can spare every month. After this, it will be easy for you to see how much you can invest every month.

One of the biggest mistakes that new investors make is that they will not be able to invest regularly due to other commitments.

So, if you are planning to start investing then make sure that you are regular with your investments. If you make a plan that you will invest N50,000 (approx. $100) every month, no matter what then make sure you do it.

If you feel that there may be an emergency, then save a small amount of money from your income every month so that you can use that fund for emergencies. This way, you needn’t take money from your investments.

If you ensure that a minimum of 40 per cent of your income goes into investments then in 10 years’ time you will definitely start reaping the rewards for years of investment. So, make sure you can invest as much as you can after covering your expenses and liabilities.

There’s a famous saying that if you can’t buy something twice then you can’t afford it. Try cutting down all your expensive wants so you can invest and grow your investments.

A good place for investors with low funds is Exchange Traded Funds (ETF) since the minimum investment requirements are very low.

Warren Buffett once said in his investor letter “The goal of the non-professional should not be to pick winners — neither he nor his “helpers” can do that — but should rather be to own a cross-section of businesses that in the aggregate are bound to do well. A low-cost S&P 500 index fund will achieve this goal.”

  1. Diversify and manage your portfolio

You can only fully gain from stock market investments over a period of time. Building a diverse portfolio enables you to park your money into more than a single asset class. This is not only safer but it’s less risky than investing all your money into one stock.

If in case the stock that you are invested in crashes, then you lose your entire investment. So, it’s always better to invest in more than one stock. Non-professionals should invest in blue-chip stocks only, or the index fund.

If you are finding it hard to diversify your investments, then invest in a Mutual Fund. Even if you are investing in a mutual fund, then you also need to be absolutely sure about all the costs, fees, expected returns and risks involved with that too.

Another big advantage of building a diverse portfolio is that it will help you fight market volatility without suffering major losses. Since your investments are tied into different stocks, assets, it will lower the risks that come with markets.

You should look at stock market investing as a long-term process rather than checking daily returns and let your investments handle themselves. You should just wait for your investments to mature.

Conclusion

Investing in stocks is a good way to building long term wealth but it requires you to be patient and regular with your investments. If you are looking for short term gains then stock market investments aren’t the best option for you.

If you are regular with your investments, it can almost be assured that a good portfolio might even allow you to retire early.

Also, be fully aware of the risks, and don’t invest money that you cannot afford to lose. Do your full research & invest wisely.

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan. Mr Olowookere can be reached via dipo.olowookere@businesspost.ng

Economy

How to Buy Your First NFT in Nigeria: A Step-by-Step Guide

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NFT in Nigeria

While the NFT hype from 2021 has passed, the NFT market is still very much active, attracting creators, brands, collectors, and investors who want to capitalize on this new technology.

In this step-by-step guide, we’ll discuss how you can buy your first NFT in Nigeria. For this guide, we’ll walk you through the Magic Eden platform and how you can use it to buy an NFT on Ethereum.

What You Need to Get Started

To buy your first NFT in Nigeria using Magic Eden, you will need three things: an NFT wallet, ETH, and an NFT marketplace.

  • A crypto wallet that supports NFTs: A crypto wallet is a software program that stores your digital assets, such as NFTs. For this guide, we’ll demonstrate how to buy your first NFT in Nigeria using the Magic Eden Wallet.
  • ETH: Once you have set up your wallet, you will need to buy some ETH tokens if you don’t already have some to buy the NFT and pay for transaction fees.
  • NFT marketplace: Last but not least, you will need access to a suitable NFT marketplace, such as Magic Eden, a leading NFT marketplace that supports multiple blockchains.

Step-by-Step Guide to Buying an NFT on Magic Eden

Now that you know what you need, let’s take a look at the step-by-step guide on how you can buy an NFT on the Ethereum blockchain using the Magic Eden platform.

Set Up a Crypto Wallet

When looking to buy NFT, choosing a good crypto wallet is vital. For this guide, we’ll use the Magic Eden Wallet.

Visit MagicEden.io and click the ‘Wallet’ button, then ‘Install on Chrome’ to install the wallet on your browser.

The Magic Eden Wallet is available as a browser extension and mobile app for Android and iOS. For this step-by-step guide, we’ll install the wallet on the Chrome browser.

magic eden

Next, click the ‘Add to Chrome’ button to install the wallet on your Chrome browser.

Once installed, click ‘Create New Wallet’ and follow the prompts to set up your Magic Eden Wallet. If you already have a Magic Eden Wallet, select the ‘I Have A Wallet’ option.

wallet for multi-chain collectors

Next, create a strong password to prevent people from accessing your wallet.

Once you have successfully created and confirmed your password, you will be redirected to the below page.

Click ‘Go to Magic Eden’ to open the Magic Eden marketplace in another tab.

Magic Eden Wallet

Next, you will need to secure your wallet by backing it up. Click ‘Back Up Now’, enter your password, write down your 12-word seed recovery phrase, and follow the prompts to back up your wallet.

Remember to keep your seed recovery phrase secure as that’s the only way you can recover your wallet and funds in case you lose access to your device.

And that’s it.

That’s how to create and set up your Magic Eden NFT Wallet as a Chrome browser extension.

Buy and Transfer ETH Tokens

With your crypto wallet set up, the next step will be to buy ETH tokens and transfer them to your wallet.

There are various platforms that you can use to buy ETH in Nigeria. Some platforms you can consider include Binance, KuCoin, Remitano, and other local exchanges.

For instance, you can buy ETH on Binance in Nigeria by creating a Binance account, verifying your identity, navigating to the ‘Buy Crypto’ segment, selecting ETH, keying in the amount you want to purchase, choosing your preferred payment method, and following the on-screen prompts to finalize the purchase.

buy crypto

Once you acquire the ETH tokens, transfer them to your wallet by clicking on the ‘Withdraw’ button, select ETH, confirm the network, enter your Magic Eden Wallet address, and follow the on-screen prompts to withdraw your ETH tokens.

Connect Your Wallet to Magic Eden

Visit the Magic Eden platform, click ‘Log In, ’ and choose ‘View all wallets’ to log in or sign up via your crypto wallet.

Select Magic Eden Wallet from the list.

select magic eden wallet

Next, choose the chain you’d like to connect to as shown below. Proceed to choose EVM.

Next, you will receive a pop-up from Magic Eden Wallet requesting you to accept the connection with the Magic Eden marketplace. Click ‘Continue with Magic Eden.’

NFT Collection

Click ‘Connect’ to link your Magic Eden Wallet to the Magic Eden marketplace.

Finally, confirm the signature request message on your wallet to connect your Magic Eden Wallet and the Magic Eden platform.

Find the Right NFT Collection

Now that you have successfully connected your crypto wallet to Magic Eden, the next step is to find the right Ethereum NFT collection.

You can search for trending Ethereum NFTs on Magic Eden by clicking on ‘Discover’ on the menu bar and then ‘Collections.’

You can also browse the provided NFT list and use the filter functionality to narrow your search results. Using the filter functionality, you can filter the different NFT collections by floor price, sales, verified collections, volume, and volume change.

Additionally, you can check the project details, community engagement, and roadmap before buying.

buy your first NFT

Buy Your First NFT

Once you have found the right NFT, it’s now time to buy your first NFT. There are two ways to buy an NFT on Magic Eden: ‘Buy Now’ for immediate purchase based on the listed price, or ‘Make an Offer,’ which allows you to bid and wait.

If your preferred NFT is available to buy immediately, click the ‘Buy Now’ option and follow the prompts to complete the purchase.

By clicking ‘Approve’ in your Magic Eden Wallet, a pop-up message will confirm the successful purchase of your NFT.

To view your NFT, navigate to the ‘Portfolio’ tab in your Magic Eden Wallet and click ‘Collectibles’ to see your NFTs.

And that’s it!

That’s how to buy your first NFT in Nigeria using the Magic Eden platform.

You can view your NFT purchase in your Magic Eden Wallet by going to your wallet, click on ‘Portfolio’ then ‘Collectibles’.

Conclusion

Getting started with NFTs can seem daunting but it becomes easier with time if you have the right guides, information, and platforms. Just remember to find and use a secure crypto wallet and a prominent NFT marketplace when buying NFTs in Nigeria.

Also, you can join various NFT community groups on Discord and Telegram to grow your knowledge and explore the NFT ecosystem.

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Economy

Trump’s Reciprocal Tariffs Deadline Weakens Oil Market

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crude oil market

By Adedapo Adesanya

The oil market shrank on Tuesday as traders braced for reciprocal tariffs that the US President, Mr Donald Trump, is due to announce.

Brent futures went down by 28 cents or 0.37 per cent to close at $74.49 a barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures fell by 28 cents or 0.39 per cent to $71.20 per barrel.

The American President is set to unveil new tariffs targeting specific countries that have trade surpluses with the US on Wednesday, April 2, pledging to roll back unfair trade practices.

This could be on European Union (EU) countries or even Japan, adding volatility to this week’s trading.

According to the US government, the new duties are due to take effect immediately after President Trump announces them, while a separate 25 per cent global tariff on auto imports will take effect on April 3.

In just over 10 weeks in office, the US President has implemented new 20 per cent tariffs on all Chinese imports over fentanyl concerns and reinstated the 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum, expanding them to nearly $150 billion in downstream products.

Additionally, a month-long exemption for most Canadian and Mexican goods from his 25 per cent fentanyl-related tariffs is set to expire on Wednesday.

However, President Trump’s threats to impose secondary tariffs on Russian oil and to attack Iran fueled supply worries, limited losses.

He said on Sunday he would impose secondary tariffs of 25 per cent to 50 per cent on Russian oil buyers if Russia tried to block efforts to end the war in Ukraine.

Tariffs on buyers of oil from Russia, the world’s second largest oil exporter, would disrupt global supply and hurt Russia’s biggest customers, China and India.

Mr Trump threatened Iran with similar tariffs and also with bombings if Tehran did not reach an agreement with the White House over its nuclear programme.

Also, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) began unwinding the production cuts by adding about 138,000 barrels per day from Tuesday.

Prices also found some support after Russia ordered Kazakhstan’s main oil export terminal to close two of its three moorings amid a standoff between Kazakhstan and OPEC+ over excess production.

As a result, Kazakhstan will have to start cutting oil output.

The American Petroleum Institute (API) estimated that crude oil inventories in the United States rose by 6.037 million barrels for the week ending March 28, after a 4.6 million barrel drop in the prior week.

So far this year, crude oil inventories have climbed nearly 23 million barrels.

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Economy

Nigerians Buy Petrol N930 Per Litre as Naira-for-Crude Deal Fails

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petrol consumption nigeria

By Adedapo Adesanya

Nigerians, after facing respite with reduced price of premium motor spirit (PMS), known as petrol, in recent weeks, are now faced with a new challenge as the product retails for as high as N930 per litre in Lagos and higher in other parts of the country.

While Business Post gathered in Lagos that it retails for N930 per litre, it is selling as high between N950 and N970 per litre, depending on the filling stations in Abuja and northern parts of the country.

Our correspondents gathered from three filling stations, including Mobil, AP, and Northwest, that prices were around N930 per litre.

The new price regime followed an announcement by Dangote Refinery temporarily halting the sale of petroleum products in Naira, which is a result of a price war brought on by the deregulation of the downstream sector.

The $20 billion refinery based in Lagos said the sales of its products in Naira have exceeded the value of Naira-denominated crude it has received from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited.

“This decision is necessary to avoid a mismatch between our sales proceeds and our crude oil purchase obligations, which are currently denominated in US Dollars,” the company said in a statement earlier in March 2025

“As a result, we must temporarily adjust our sales currency to align with our crude procurement currency,” the company explained.

Over the last few months, the price war between the NNPC and Dangote reduce prices to as low as N830 per litre— easing pressure on Nigerians.

However, with oil prices rising in the international market, the landing cost of imported petrol has increased to a high of N885 per litre last week.

On February 26, 2025, the $20 billion refinery owned by Africa’s richest man and industrialist Aliko Dangote slashed the ex-depot price of petrol from N890 to N825 per litre.

Under the new arrangement, customers purchased the petrol at N860 per litre at selected outlets in Lagos, N870 in the South-West, N880 in the North, and N890 in the South-South and South-East.

Almost immediately, the NNPC reduced its retail price from N945 to N860 in Lagos, with a similar price reduction reflected at NNPCL outlets in other states of the Federation.

Now, with the cost of landing cost increasing imported petrol costs, Dangote Refinery will be seeking to play its card to cover its margins.

Recall that last month, the NNPC suspended the Naira-for-crude deal with private refiners, including Dangote Refinery, fuelling its suspension of the sale of petrol in local currency.

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