NSE woos Asian investment community

The Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE) hopes to trigger participation of foreign investors in the Nigerian capital market, with a  roadshow to Asia between December 1 and December 5, 2014.

The objective of the roadshow is to develop partnerships and improve deal flow into the Nigerian capital market.

The high-level investment delegation, comprising listed companies, market operators and top Nigerian government officials will visit Singapore, Hong Kong and Beijing.

According to Oscar  Onyema, chief executive officer of NSE, the roadshow is part of the NSE’s drive to increase participation by Asian investors in the Nigerian capital market.

“The event will highlight the robustness of our capital market as well as showcase The Exchange and its listed companies and market operators. In each destination, participants will have the opportunity to interact with the major institutional investors and fund managers, and explore business opportunities,” he said.

A statement from NSE revealed that the roadshow themed ‘Investing on The Nigerian Stock Exchange: Investing, Partnerships and Governance’, will bring together Africa-focused investors and fund managers to discuss ways to strategically position themselves, develop partnerships and expand into Nigeria in order to grow and gain competitive edge in the region’s high growth market.

The meeting will also explore the role of governance in facilitating trade and investment for businesses, and share insights on doing business successfully in Nigeria.

“We are delighted to tell our story to this dynamic region,” Haruna Jalo-Waziri, executive director of business development at the NSE, said.

“We are all familiar with major Asian direct investment into Nigeria, but our initial engagement with the Asian market also indicates considerable appetite for portfolio investment into our capital market, and we look forward to meeting their major financial institutions and corporates face to face.”

Jalo-Waziri decried widespread unawareness of Nigeria’s potential, saying: “The first challenge is to confront and overcome the perceptions that exist in the minds of some people outside Nigeria

“Asia has a considerable pool of investible funds looking for attractive opportunities and we need to inform their investors of the opportunities available in the Nigerian stock market.”