Federal Govt Urges Stronger Investment Culture As Experts Chart Wealth Creation Path

The federal government has stressed the need for sustained conversations around wealth creation, investment, savings and endowment as critical tools for national development.

Speaking at The Money Fair Wealth Invest Savings Endowments WISE 1.0, a two-day investment and financial empowerment event organised by Nairametrics in Lagos,  Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Jumoke Oduwole, said the government remains committed to reforms that will strengthen investor confidence and expand opportunities across asset classes.

The event themed Investing in Nigeria in 2026 Asset Classes Timing Windows Digital Tools and Risk Navigation in a Reformed Economy brought together retail investors, young professionals, pension-focused audiences, high net worth individuals, regulators and policy stakeholders.

The minister who was represented at the event by special adviser, Teju Abisoye said Conversations on wealth investment, savings and endowment are critical and important at times like this We need to keep the conversation interactive We need to hear the questions people have

She noted that deepening public understanding of wealth creation would help transform attitudes and unlock economic opportunities, adding that we hope that this kind of conversation takes the culture on how people see wealth investment savings and endowment to the next level

According to her, the Federal Ministry recognises the power of domestic investment, stressing that all forms of investment contribute to economic growth and trigger ripple effects across industries.

Every time we invest in a tech or traditional business, we contribute to the growth of our industry. Such investments are enabled by savings and endowments, she stated, noting that more awareness is needed to educate Nigerians on how endowments can fund the future without eroding capital.

She added that wealth creation goes beyond money, urging Nigerians to adopt structured savings habits. Let us learn how to make our savings automatic and how they work for us so we can build a better, bigger, wealthier Nigeria, she said.

Organisers said the fair was designed to connect Nigerians directly with financial service providers offering guidance on savings investment strategies and wealth-building tools in a changing economic environment.

At the panel session on investing in Nigeria in 2026, experts highlighted the growing role of fintech and cross-border payment systems in unlocking investment opportunities across Africa.

Meanwhile, the chief financial officer at Kora, Ayodeji Solomon Osisami, noted that payment infrastructure now enables seamless cross-border transactions, making it easier for Nigerians to invest in businesses and assets across the continent.

He said It has never been easier for a Nigerian business to trade globally You can access suppliers, pay across borders and even export goods seamlessly These infrastructures are driving investment and entrepreneurship

Commenting, Head of Retail Business Development at Meristem Securities, Onyeka Alika, dismissed fears of missing out on the stock market.

According to him, the biggest lie anyone would tell you is that you missed it. There is no such thing as missing the best time to invest; now is the best time to invest, but you must understand what you are getting into.

He cautioned against emotional investing, stressing that the stock market is not a quick-win scheme, and urged Nigerians to start investing with as little as N10,000.

The market is not yoAur MMM. You must check fundamentals, profitability, and long-term value before investing, he added.

Similarly, wealth management experts urged investors to prioritise diversification, risk assessment and financial planning, even as they emphasised that investors must balance equities, fixed income and alternative assets, such as real estate, to achieve sustainable returns.

On her part, Head of Wealth Management at SFS Capital, Uju Justin, said investors must adapt to changing market cycles, noting that declining yields on fixed-income instruments require portfolio realignment. The conversation is shifting from chasing high returns to positioning for the next cycle, she said.

On sectoral opportunities, Justin pointed to the Nigerian service sector, which contributed more than 55 per cent to GDP last year. She advised investors to access the sector through listed companies on the Nigerian Exchange or indirectly via mutual funds and exchange-traded funds ETFs Mutual funds and ETFs allow your money to work across different parts of the market, giving you returns without the difficulty of picking individual stocks, she said.

Justin also outlined three priorities for investors: clarity of objectives, security of funds, and liquidity. She cautioned against chasing high returns without ensuring investments are registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The return of your investment is more important than the return on your investment. Your principal must be safe first, she said.

She added that liquidity is critical, recalling cases in which investors locked funds into long-term contracts and were unable to access them when needed. Liquidity gives you flexibility. Without it, an investment is as good as nothing, she said.

Consequently, an expert in the real estate sector, Suleiman Abu, who is also a business manager at Cruxstone Development and Investment Ltd, urged investors to conduct due diligence, verify property titles, and ensure clarity in transactions to avoid losses, while also highlighting emerging models such as co-ownership to ease entry barriers.