By Chinwendu Obienyi
The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) at the weekend, admitted 122 new associate members and conferred fellowship on 51 others while pledging to increase its advocacy initiatives on investor education and financial literacy to enhance its membership base.
This, the institute said, is aimed at attracting millennials and Gen Zs through deployment of modern information technology.
Addressing the inductees during the Institute’s 27th Annual Conference themed: “Appraising New Trends in the Global Financial Market: Localising the Benefits in Abeokuta, Ogun State at the weekend, the Institute’s President and the Chairman of Governing Council, Oluwole Adeosun, who congratulated the new Fellows for attaining the highest level in the profession, urged the associate members to uphold the tenets of integrity in order to operate as certified professionals.
Adeosun explained that CIS had always been on the front line of advocacy in the Nigerian financial market. According to him, the Institute is preoccupied with the training and certification of its members for enhanced global competitiveness.
“Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers was established by Act 105 of 1992 (Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria) and given the clear mandates of determining the standard of knowledge required to practice as a core professional in the Securities and Investment industry in Nigeria, and to provide the required training and certification for the intended practitioners.
As part of our market development efforts, we shall expand advocacy and financial literacy for investors and continue to attract millennials and Gen Z to our profession through effective and efficient deployment of modern information technology” he said.
In his remarks, Governor of Ogun state, Prince Adedapo Abiodun, who expressed delight at the Institute’s activities, assured the stockbrokers of the state’s willingness for collaboration with the market regulators and operators.
He also challenged the Institute amongst other key stakeholders on the need to create more awareness on effective utilization of the capital market to bridge infrastructural deficit in Nigeria.
Whilst stating that the capital market serves as a veritable source of funds, which governments at all levels could tap into for the execution of various projects, the Governor said Ogun State was willing to take advantage of this in the near future.
Also speaking at the event, the Director-General, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Lamido Yuguda, in his goodwill message, said that the theme was timely and relevant, stressed that the global capital market is undergoing significant reforms, driven by key trends such as sustainable finance, digital assets, technology, private markets, and globalisation.
“These developments underscore the increasing need for investors to stay informed and adaptable. The conference is an opportunity for stakeholders to engage in profound discussions, share insights and strategize on how Nigeria can effectively navigate the domestic and global capital markets”, Yuguda said.