SEC Brings N2.36tn in Funds Under Custody with New Guidelines

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has successfully brought about N2.36 trillion in discretionary and non-discretionary funds under custody.

This achievement follows the implementation of updated guidelines for Collective Investment Schemes (CIS) in Nigeria.

Last December, the SEC proposed amendments to address grievances within the Collective Investment Scheme segment of the capital market.

These amendments sought to enhance investor safeguards and address concerns raised by market participants.

In a notice published on its website titled ‘Exposure Of New And Sundry Amendments To The Rules And Regulations Of The Commission,’ the SEC outlined the new regulatory changes.

Among these changes was the requirement for all CIS funds, including those in discretionary and non-discretionary windows, to be placed under custody.

This move was aimed at strengthening investor protection and mitigating risks associated with fund management.

Dr. Okey Umeano, the Chief Economist at SEC, provided insights into the impact of these regulatory updates during a media briefing after the first-quarter Capital Market Committee meeting.

He highlighted that prior to the regulatory amendments, only funds designated as Collective Investment Schemes were subject to custody.

However, with the new guidelines in place, all funds, regardless of their discretionary or non-discretionary nature, are now required to be custodied.

Umeano revealed that the SEC conducted inspections to ensure compliance with the new regulations, resulting in N2.36 trillion of discretionary and non-discretionary funds being brought under custody.

This move underscores the SEC’s commitment to safeguarding investor interests and fostering trust in the capital market ecosystem.

Former SEC Director-General, Lamido Yuguda, emphasized the importance of segregating asset management and custody functions to mitigate risks.

He noted that while the separation of these functions was standard practice for public CIS products, it was not uniformly applied to bilateral arrangements.

However, with the implementation of the new rules, all investment management activities, whether in public CIS or bilateral spaces, are mandated to be in custody.

Yuguda stressed that the objective of these regulatory changes is to improve trust, protect investors’ assets, and bolster market confidence.

By ensuring that investment management activities are segregated, with custody handled by duly licensed custodians, the SEC aims to create a more resilient and transparent capital market environment.