Economy
Nigerian Pension Funds Post 16.37% Gains in 2017—Report
**As APT RSA Pension Fund Leads Peers Again
By Dipo Olowookere/Quantitative Financial Analytics
A new data analysis from Quantitative Financial Analytics has shown that the Nigerian pension funds earned an annualized 16.37 percent average return for the period ended December 31, 2017.
This is against the 11.56 percent average yields the fund made in the previous year.
Also during the period, the APT RSA Pension fund was the best-performing among the RSA category of funds, raking 22.24 percent return.
It was followed by the 19.85 percent return produced by the Crusader RSA Pension fund.
According to the report, eight of the 19 RSA funds being tracked by Quantitative Financial Analytics produced returns that beat the industry average of 16.37 percent while the rest produced returns below the industry average. All but one RSA fund produced returns in the double digit.
Quantitative Financial Analytics said in the report that the Retiree fund category followed closely the trend and pattern of the RSA funds recording an average return of 16.28 percent compared to last year’s average of 12.42 percent.
Crusader Pension Retiree Fund took the lead by producing 21.69 percent return while APT Pension Retiree Fund came second with 21.48 percent return.
Seven of the 18 Retiree funds recorded better returns than the industry average and all the Retiree funds closed the year with double digit returns.
The gratuity fund category, occupied by funds managed by Pension Alliance (PAL), recorded an improved performance in 2017 as the Pal Emenite and Pal Guinness funds produced 16.5 percent and 15.1 percent return respectively compared to their 15.04 percent and 13.74 percent returns in 2016.
Though the pension funds did well in 2017, they were walloped by the NSE Pension index which produced a whopping 70.3 percent return. Whether the index is a good bench mark for pension funds is still subject to debate.
While most pension funds are predominantly invested in fixed income funds, the NSE pension Index fund is an equity-based index.
Comparing an equity-based index with a fixed income-based portfolio looks like comparing apples and oranges.
According to analysis by Quantitative Financial Analytics, Nigerian pension funds have about 74 percent of their assets allocated to Government Bonds and treasury bills with only 10 percent invested in domestic and foreign equity securities.
APT Stands out
APT Pension fund has really stood out over the past few years as the top performer taking either the first or second positions in the performance table year after year.
In 2015, it took the second position in the RSA fund performance chart with 31.86 percent. In 2016, it came second again with 12.58 percent topping the Retiree fund category with 14.99 percent performance.
While it is not very apparent why APT does so well, it looks like it has to do with their asset allocation strategy.
APT seems to be the only pension fund that has a double-digit allocation to the stock market with about 13.75 percent of its RSA assets allocated to equities while 12.81 percent of Retiree fund asset is also allocated to equities.
The industry average allocation to equities in 2017 was 10.33 percent.
According to available information on their website, APT pension managers oversee the pension accounts of about 120k registered RSA members.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The pre-registration training and examination for capital market operators (CMOs) for the second quarter of 2026 has been postponed.
Business Post gathered that the new date for the exercise is now Monday, June 15, 2026.
This information was disclosed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) through a circular on Monday, June 8, 2026.
The Nigerian capital market regulator stated that this postponement has also resulted in the extension of the deadline for registration to Friday, June 12, 2026.
In the notice today, the SEC expressed its regret for the inconvenience this action may cause operators, who had prepared for the initial date of the training and examination.
“Further to the recent circular on Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) hereby informs all eligible applicants for the Q2 2026 Pre-registration Training and Examination that the commencement date has been postponed to Monday, June 15, 2026.
“Registration on the designated portal has also been extended to Friday, June 12, 2026. All other conditions contained in the circular remain unchanged.
“The commission regrets any inconvenience this postponement may cause and appreciates the understanding of all applicants,” the disclosure noted.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
One of the leading healthcare firms in Nigeria, Fidson Healthcare Plc, has listed additional shares on the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited.
The new stocks absorbed into the stock market were 600 million units, raising the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each from 2,400,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.
The fresh equities came from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share.
They were issued to existing investors on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as of the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
Confirming the development, the regulator in a notice said, “Trading licence holders are hereby notified that an additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each of Fidson Healthcare Plc were on Tuesday, June 2, 2026, listed on the daily official list of Nigerian Exchange Limited.
“The additional shares arose from the company’s rights issue of 600,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each at N35.00 per share on the basis of one new ordinary share for every existing four ordinary shares held as at the close of business on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.
“With the listing of the additional 600,000,000 ordinary shares, the total issued and fully paid-up shares of Fidson Healthcare Plc have now increased from 2,400,000,000 to 3,000,000,000 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
This news will surely excite local contractors with verified claims of N100 million or less, as the federal government has approved their payments.
This approval for the disbursement was given by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mr Taiwo Oyedele.
This followed a verification and reconciliation exercise designed to ensure only validated claims qualify for payment.
The beneficiaries cover contractors across multiple ministries, departments and agencies. The release of the funds is expected to enable contractors to return to project sites, pay workers, settle suppliers and meet outstanding financial commitments.
In an announcement on Monday, the Federal Ministry of Finance also said this latest batch of payments would ease liquidity pressure on small businesses and accelerate economic activity nationwide.
It was noted that the payments for verified claims of N100 million below were strategically done to spread economic impact broadly rather than concentrate disbursements among a handful of large firms.
The payments form part of a broader push to clear inherited contractor obligations, with over N700 billion verified in recent months.
“For many beneficiaries, the release of funds represents more than a financial transaction. It provides the certainty needed to sustain operations, preserve jobs, complete ongoing projects, and contribute to economic recovery and growth,” the ministry said in a statement.
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