The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has urged Nigerian civil servants to leverage opportunities in the capital market to build long-term wealth, strengthen financial security, and contribute more actively to national economic growth.
The call was made by the Director-General of the SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, during a strategic engagement with the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, and senior civil service officials.
Agama said the capital market should no longer be seen as distant or exclusive, but as a practical and accessible platform through which public servants can plan for the future. He stressed that civil servants must move beyond reliance on monthly salaries and position themselves as investors and stakeholders in the economy to secure financial stability during active service and retirement.
He noted that the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) already connects millions of workers to the capital market, as pension assets are invested in government bonds, equities, infrastructure funds, and other regulated instruments.
“The performance of these investments directly affects retirement outcomes. Understanding how the capital market works will deepen confidence in the pension system and open doors to additional investment options,” Agama said.
He encouraged civil servants to explore regulated investment products such as mutual funds, bonds, and Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs), noting that wider participation would promote personal wealth creation and support national development.
To support this initiative, the SEC proposed a structured financial literacy programme tailored to the civil service, covering savings, investment planning, housing, and education funding. Agama also highlighted the potential of the capital market to address housing challenges faced by public servants, noting that REITs and mortgage-backed securities could provide more affordable pathways to home ownership if properly adopted.
He further called for stronger institutional collaboration, including the establishment of a joint SEC–civil service committee and the integration of capital market education into training institutions such as the Administrative Staff College of Nigeria (ASCON).
The SEC boss warned civil servants against investing in unregistered entities, noting that many victims of Ponzi schemes are public sector workers. He assured that sensitisation programmes would be intensified to curb such losses.
In her response, Walson-Jack welcomed the SEC’s proposals and pledged the civil service’s commitment to a strategic partnership. She said efforts were ongoing to improve retirement outcomes, including access to gratuity and housing, with the aim of ensuring civil servants retire with dignity and tangible assets.
The engagement underscored a renewed push to align civil service welfare with capital market innovation as a key pillar of sustainable economic growth.