Barbara Bako, Abuja.
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has sought stronger collaboration with the Nasarawa State Government to deepen investor education, promote financial inclusion and improve access to unclaimed dividends and other investment assets.
The SEC Chairman, Alhaji Mairiga Aliyu Katuka, made the call during a courtesy visit to Gov. Abdullahi A. Sule as part of the Commission’s Capital Market Awareness, Unclaimed Funds and Investor Education Outreach Programme in Lafia.
SEC in a statement issued on Monday, said that Katuka commended the state government for providing strategically located office space for the Commission’s liaison office in Lafia, saying the facility would bring SEC’s services closer to investors and residents.
The office, located within the complex formerly occupied by the State Ministry of Education, is expected to become operational soon.
He described the provision of the facility as an important contribution to strengthening the Commission’s presence in the state and improving access to capital market services.
In his response, Sule commended the SEC for its regulatory role and efforts to protect investors, promote confidence in the capital market and improve public awareness of legitimate investment opportunities.
The governor also acknowledged the importance of initiatives that encourage informed participation in the capital market, noting the relevance of collaboration between the Commission and the state government in advancing financial inclusion and economic development.
Katuka, in turn, praised the state government’s efforts to promote investment, enterprise, industrialisation and sustainable economic growth. He said Nasarawa’s economic potential made it an important partner in expanding participation in Nigeria’s capital market.
The SEC chairman urged the state government to mobilise business owners, cooperative societies, youth groups, market associations and other stakeholders to participate actively in the Commission’s investor education initiatives.
He said the outreach programme was part of SEC’s nationwide efforts to improve financial literacy, promote legitimate investment opportunities, protect investors against fraudulent schemes and help Nigerians recover unclaimed dividends and other investment assets.
The programme brought together representatives of relevant institutions, academia, the Probate Registry, the National Population Commission and various departments of the Commission, highlighting the need for institutional cooperation in addressing unclaimed investments and improving public understanding of the capital market.
Members of the SEC Board also delivered goodwill messages, reaffirming the importance of sustained investor education, public enlightenment and investor protection.
Speaking on unclaimed investments, the Commission identified incomplete investor records, outdated shareholder information, changes in bank account details and difficulties transferring investments following an investor’s death as some of the factors that could prevent beneficiaries from accessing their funds.
It stressed that unclaimed dividends and other investment assets represent the savings of individuals and families and should be recovered by their rightful owners through established procedures.
To address the challenge, the SEC highlighted the enhanced e-Dividend Mandate Management System, which enables dividends to be paid directly into shareholders’ bank accounts and allows investors to update their records more conveniently.
Investors were encouraged to regularise their investment information and use the available facilities to facilitate the recovery of outstanding dividends.
The Commission also underscored the need for cooperation among registrars and other capital market stakeholders to improve record management, enhance service delivery and resolve outstanding claims.
The outreach programme forms part of SEC’s broader efforts to expand access to reliable capital market information, strengthen investor confidence and encourage responsible participation in Nigeria’s financial markets.
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