DMO, CSL Return Securities Issuance Awareness to Lagos, Woo Retail Investors

The Debt Management Office (DMO) on Thursday urged investors to take advantage of the FGN saving bonds offered at a minimum.

The DMO made the call during the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) Securities Awareness Programme held in Lagos.

The awareness programme was organised in collaboration with CSL Stockbrokers Limited, the stockbroking firm for the Federal Government.

The awareness programme, which started in Lagos in March 2022, had also been taken to Enugu, Ibadan,  Kano, Yola, Umuahuia, Gombe, Osogbo, Port Harcourt and Benin.

The Director-General of the DMO, Patience Oniha, said that the FGN Savings Bond was structured to satisfy retail investors, who can invest as little as N5,000.

Oniha, who was represented by Mr Oladele Afolabi, Director, Portfolio Management, DMO, said that the saving bonds was risk-free and fully backed by the Federal Government.

She said that there was the need to invest in instruments with good earning returns and high standing safety as a means to contribute to the development of the country.

She added that the event presented a platform to better understand investment instruments and provide guidance on how to invest.

According to the Director-General, investment in FGN Savings Bonds is not just for merchant banks and stockbrokers, but also for individuals.

“It is very important to consider the advantages of saving and I use this medium to advise against investing in Ponzi schemes that are with huge risks and lacked backings.

“While there are other saving instruments the Federal Government provides, this particular one affords the opportunity to retail or small investors to take advantage of.

“This also means government is standing strongly behind the instruments irrespective of the minimum amount of 5,000, and is as strong as other bonds running into billions.

“The FGN Savings Bonds can also be used as a collateral to access credit facilities in other banks,” she said.

The Head, Property Trading, CSL Stockbrokers Limited, Mr. Richard Akinmoladun, said the event would create awareness for retail investors on the special quality of bonds.

Akinmoladun said that the programme would also help sensitise prospective investors on investment in securities.

He said that investment in these bonds would provide funding support for the Federal Government, needed to drive some infrastructural development in the country.

According to him, the purpose of FGN Securities is to raise capital to finance deficits in the FGN’s budget.

“It also helps to raise funds to execute critical infrastructural projects and contribute to the development of the domestic financial markets.

“It also enhances the savings and investment opportunities of the populace, thereby promoting financial inclusion and attracting foreign investors into the domestic financial markets,” he said.

He listed the benefits of these investments to include safety, visible collateral, diversification of investment portfolio, steady income and liquidity.

“The FGN Savings Bond is a fixed income security that is targeted at retail investors with guaranteed quarterly interest payments.

“A large chunk of assets in the portfolio of pension asset managers is invested in FGN bonds due to the safety that the instruments provides.

“It is important to state that the interest rates, rental income and principal repayments on FGN Securities would be received in full and on time,” he said.

The Head, Retail Business, CSL, Mrs Ifeoma Ukunna, urged investors to diversify their asset classes to guard against risks attached to investment portfolios.

She stated that the advantage of the FGN Savings Bonds was its stable and fantastic yield with very low risks.

She added that the bond has a specific objective to guard against Nigerians falling into investing in Ponzi schemes.

“The FGN saving bonds yield a fantastic return with very low risk, but the returns outweighs some of the instruments in the asset classes.

“If your rented property and other investment instruments are not yielding good incomes, the FGN savings bond is a good way to keep afloat.

“Individuals looking to invest should note that all banks are investment agents for the FGN Savings Bonds and they can also take advantage of brokers online platforms to begin the process,” she said. (NAN)