When looking for where to invest money in Nigeria, you will encounter particularly fraudulent get-rich-quick schemes. For that reason, carefully seeking out safe places to invest is crucial.
In this article, we look briefly into some of the places to invest money in Nigeria:
- Mutual Funds
- Plastic Recycling
- Individual Stocks
- Real Estate
- Treasury Bills
- Fixed Deposits
- Oil and Gas
- FGN Savings Bond
- Mining
- Certificate of Deposits
- Corporate Bonds
1. Mutual Funds
Investors who cannot readily put together a portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other assets on their own can do so through mutual funds.
In a mutual fund, funds are pooled together from multiple individuals by fund managers to invest in various securities, such as bonds, equities, and money market instruments.
The assets of mutual funds are professionally managed by fund managers, who work to maximize returns for investors.
View our growing collection of mutual funds.
2. Plastic Recycling
Plastic recycling is the conversion of plastic waste (PET bottles and other recyclable plastic) into new products. It usually involves stages such as collection, sorting, baling, crushing, to final conversion into the new products.
Nigeria generates about 2.5 million tonnes of plastic waste annually and is among the highest contributors to plastic pollution globally.
You can come up with a plastic recovery solution idea where you take plastics away from the environment or the consumers as they generate them.
Then, have facilities on-ground to reprocess the plastics into new products or you can just handle the collection and sell to companies who have a high demand for plastic as raw materials.
In plastic recycling, you are promoting environmental sustainability while building wealth.
3. Individual Stocks
A stock represents a portion of ownership in a public company.
When you invest in an individual stock, you are buying a percentage of ownership in that company. It has some risks involved but with high risk comes high rewards.
Have in mind that you are investing for the long term and understand the business you are investing in.
Find out more on how to invest in stocks.
4. Real Estate
Real estate is basically property or asset that includes land and structures built on the land.
There are several ways you can invest in real estate such as property rental, house flipping, real estate investment groups, online real estate platforms, etc.
To purchase a property, real estate companies give you the opportunity to drop a percentage of the total cost upfront and then pay off the balance, plus interest, over time.
5. Treasury Bills
Treasury bills, commonly referred to as T-Bills, are short-term, government-backed securities issued by the CBN.
They are issued when the government needs to borrow money for a while and have a maximum maturity of 364 days.
T-Bills are offered for sale below their face value and are widely regarded as low-risk and secure investments.
Find out more on how to buy treasury bills in Nigeria.
6. Fixed Deposits (FD)
A fixed deposit is a type of investment where your money is locked for the duration of the deposit.
Banks allow depositors to invest their money for terms ranging from 30 days and above. The length of time the funds are deposited with the bank determines the interest rate on the deposit.
Primarily, there are two ways you can receive interest on FD:
- Cumulative: Here, the interest is compounded quarterly and paid upon maturity.
- Non-cumulative: Interest is paid monthly, quarterly, or until maturity.
Read more here about Fixed deposits.
7. Oil and Gas
Nigeria is one of the largest oil producers in the world, and it presents significant opportunities for both foreign and local investors to make millions annually.
It is a strictly regulated sector, which makes it more complex than the others to invest in, and requires proper research, expert knowledge, financial capacity and much paperwork.
However, you can invest in oil by buying energy ETFs & mutual funds or buying stocks in an oil and gas company, among other things.
Learn more about ETFs.
8. FGN Savings Bond
The FGN Bond is regarded as one of the safest types of investment as it is backed by the full faith and credit of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
Their lack of a default risk makes it assured that your interest and principal would be paid when due. Also, state and local taxes do not apply to the investment.
You can invest in FGN bonds through stock brokers on The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).
9. Mining
Nigeria has a substantial amount of coal, iron ore, limestone, bitumen, gold, and other minerals. These are high-value commodities and the country’s mining sector is constantly expanding.
If you have a lot of money to invest, you can consider the mining industry. Ensure to find trained and professional personnel to guide your steps.
You can also invest in mining through mining stocks i.e buying shares of mining companies, and buying ETFs that invest in companies in the mining sector.
10. Certificate of Deposits (CDs)
CDs are a type of savings account that offers a higher interest rate than a regular savings account. They come with a fixed interest rate for a specific period of time.
You should invest money in CDs that you are certain you won’t be needing soon.
With typical terms of one, three, and five years, CDs might be a wise choice if you’re looking to safely grow your money for a certain purpose within a defined time frame.
However, you’ll have to pay a fee if you want to withdraw your money from a CD early.
Here’s how to invest in CDs.
11. Corporate Bonds
The main difference between corporate and government bonds is that you are lending money to a firm rather than the government.
Since the government does not guarantee these loans, they are a riskier choice.
The risk/return profile of a very high-yield bond, also called a junk bond can be significantly higher.
Corporate bonds are ideal for investors seeking a fixed-income instrument with greater yields than government bonds and ready to assume a little bit more risk in exchange.
Learn more about Bonds.
Things to consider before you invest money in Nigeria
1. Risk tolerance
Every investment involves some level of risk; realize this. Knowing your tolerance level will help you choose the investing approach that is ideal for you.
2. Financial goals
If you are planning on saving for the future or retirement, go for long-term investments. Knowing your financial goals will help you make investment plans that align with them.
3. Economy
Nigeria isn’t one of the easiest places to invest money, especially with the situation of the economy, inflation and exchange rate fluctuations.
Hence, you need to do your background checks and invest in companies and commodities that are of necessity. Don’t just jump on an investment because someone said it is lucrative.
Learn more about what to invest in during inflation and recession.
4. Have a steady source of income
Ensure you have a steady source of income in this country before you start testing investment options. Except for very low-risk to risk-free investments, you should invest money you are ready to risk, and not all the money you have.
5. Diversification
Diversifying your investments is one of the best strategies to reduce the risks associated with investing. Always remember to put only some of your eggs in one basket.
Online Investment Apps
Investment apps have become increasingly popular. They come with features like trading stocks, following your account in real-time, automated savings, helping you learn about the financial markets and more.
In addition to the above, Cowrywise as a wealth management app also provides you with professionally managed portfolios, so you don’t have to worry about actively managing your investment.
Build wealth with Cowrywise
Do you want to enjoy a mix of carefully curated investment options from leading fund managers in Nigeria? It only takes a few minutes.
Simply follow these steps:
- Get the updated Cowrywise app here
- Create your account or sign in to your existing account.
- Tap “Invest”
- Then choose your preferred mutual funds option.
- You can purchase either conservative, moderate or aggressive funds and you will automatically have access to a pool of different investments as we have listed above.
It’s important to take your risk assessment test to find options tailored to your risk appetite.
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