Photo credit: Скачко Виталий / Unsplash (Unsplash License)
2026-01-17 07:00:00
The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced a sweeping upward revision of minimum capital requirements for capital market operators. Under the new guidelines, broker-dealers must increase their minimum capital from N300 million to N2 billion, portfolio managers from N150 million to N5 billion, and issuing houses from N200 million to N7 billion.
Reports indicate a June 2027 deadline for compliance, positioning the move as a market-stability and resilience push intended to ensure only adequately capitalized institutions manage investor funds.
Echotitbits take: This is a consolidation trigger for the Nigerian fintech and brokerage ecosystem. Expect accelerated M&A, tighter governance expectations, and near-term operational strain for smaller operators as the compliance window narrows.
Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/sec-capital-hike-to-spur-mergers-squeeze-smaller-operators/ (January 17, 2026)
Photo Credit: The Punch
