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IAPM to Focus on Capacity Building, as CIIA Sets Standards for Investment Advisors in Nigeria

Associations & Practice	4717 VIEWS
Associations & Practice
4717 VIEWS

Thursday, November 16, 2018 6.00AM / Ottoabasi Abasiekong, WebTV

The Association of Investment Advisors and Portfolio Managers in Nigeria, will scale its capacity building programmes for its members to provide the best advisory services for clients.

This according to the President of IAPM Prince Abimbola Olashore will constitute the plans of the professional body, as it seeks to drive advocacy for the investment space.

Olashore stated that this is part of the agenda of representing a broad-based interest from the pension to the wider market.

The IAPM under his watch will ensure the provision of quality manpower and skills required for the Nigerian financial market space, with the adoption of cutting edge technology.

Prince Olashore shared that IAPM remains focused on the following objectives;

Provision of advisory services for the efficient management of the pensions and other related trust funds
Coordination of the investment activities of members of the association
Education of members and the investment public in the intricacies of pension and investment management activities, to enhance efficiency and profitability.
Facilitation of the state of the information to the mutual benefit of members and clients

CIIA Launch

It was a significant day in the history of the IAPM as the Corporate Individual Investment Advisers was officially launched by the Acting Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Nigeria Mary Uduk.

In her speech she commended the CIIA for emerging the fastest trading group to be registered by the apex regulator of the capital market.

She also lauded the IAPM for its role in the development of the Nigerian financial and capital market ecosystems.

The CIIA has Mrs Toyin Sanni as its Pioneer President, and will be responsible as a Self-Regulatory Organization in standardizing the investment advisory practice in Nigeria.

It will serve the market and ensure ethical behaviour is entrenched in the investment advisory space, that will restore investor confidence in the country.

NSE to Maintain Collaboration with IAPM

The Nigeria stock exchange through the goodwill messages of CEO Mr Oscar Onyema, OON and Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo, President of Council respectively commended the IAPM on the launch of the CIIA, assuring of their support.

They asserted that the partnership between NSE and IAPM, was designed to build a safe and vibrant capital market.

Keynote on The Future of Investing Advisory in Nigeria

Keynote speaker at the 2018 IAPM forum Mr Bolaji Balogun, Chairman of Lafarge Africa harped on the need for investment advisers and portfolio managers to be relevant in the development of the economy.

Mr Balogun emphasized the need for IAPM to connect broad street to the main street, which will have an impact on the market and economy.

He asserted that the capital market must be harnessed to address the infrastructural challenges in the country.

The capital market according to him was critical in the following areas;

Improving Governance
Increasing Transparency
Providing Accountability and
Reducing Corruption

“No developed economy has emerged without a liquid and diversified market” Bolaji Balogun and the way forward was the following;

Building People Talent Skills
Stakeholder Engagement and Investor Education
Breaking down the silos in Market collaboration
Access to liquidity
Achieving a financial sector agenda for all of the financial sector in the country

A Robust Panel Session

The 2018 IAPM forum featured a robust panel that discussed the theme of the event, with discussants Mr Bola Ajomale, MD NASD OTC, Mr Dapo Adekoje, President Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, Mr Banjo Adegbohungbe, ED/COO Coronation Merchant Bank, Mr Adeniyi Falade, MD Crusader Sterling PFA and Dr Ore Sofekun, MD Investment One Vencap Limited.

It was moderated by notable Nigerian financial analyst Mr Olufemi Awoyemi,FCA CEO Proshare Nigeria.

The session had the following takeaways;

Investor Education was key to reaching out to the Retail Investors
The IAPM must be proactive and adopt technology in its investment advisory service
Investment Advisers must drive transparency in the market
The need to bridge the skills gap of the investment profession
Investment Advisers must seek to understand their clients and improve customer service
Technology will be vital in shaping the future of investment advisory in Nigeria
Investment Advisers must be prepared for the disruptions that technology will bring to the financial market. e.g Fintech
The focus must be capacity building for Investment Advisers in Nigeria