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Considering the economic history, i think Investing in Nigeria has become riskier and full of uncertainty as the country battles its worst economic crisis in about 2 decades. With hyper inflation rates, increasingly unemployment rate tightening disposable income, most Nigerians have had to sought to risky investments with propensity for high returns as an avenue to make money.
It’s no surprise that hundreds of thousands of Nigerians were sucked into various ponzi schemes just to make quick money to augment their purchasing power. However, we still have retail investors in Nigeria who are seeking for safer and risky investments. Whilst no investment can be said to be 100% safe, there are investments available with little no risk to an investor seeking to invest in Nigeria.
These are the three safest investments we have in Nigeria today, where you are guaranteed to have your money back.
FGN TREASURY BILLS
Treasury bills are short-term debt instruments issued by the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria to provide short-term funding for the government. They are by nature, the most liquid money market securities and are backed by the full faith and credit of the FG. They are usually issued for tenors of 91, 182 and 364 days at the primary market auction held fortnightly by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
In recent times, the treasury bill rates have been hitting double digits, with rates ranging from 18-18.6% for maturity dates of 364 days. This is because the CBN has been trying to drive economic activities by offering high rates to attract offshore flows into Nigeria which is being affected by a continuous drop in oil prices.
Benefits include:
They enable customers to invest in high-yielding assets which are non-risky.
They are good investments for idle savings.
The interest earned from the investment is tax exempt.
FGN BONDS
FGN BONDS are debt securities(liabilities) of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO) for and on behalf of the Federal Government.
Benefits include:
The FGN has an obligation to pay bondholders the principal and agreed interest as and when due.
The FGN Bonds are considered as the safest of all investments in the domestic debt market because it is backed by the “full faith and credit” of the Federal Government, and as such is classified as a risk free debt instrument. They have no default risk, meaning that it is absolutely certain your interest and principal will be paid at maturity.
The interest income earned from investing in bonds is tax free.
The FGN bond can also be used as collateral to raise financing.
The FGN bond can easily be tradable as it has a unique quality of being quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, and can also be traded over the counter.
FGN SAVINGS BOND
The Debt Management Office (DMO) recently launched a new retail investment program called the FGN Savings Bond. The rate usually between 13 and 14%. It is backed by the “full faith and credit” of the Federal Government and no default risk, meaning that it is a safe investment.
Benefits include:
The interest income form Savings Bond are tax free.
The bondholder enjoys fixed interest rates which will be paid every quarter.
It offers guaranteed returns, and encourages financial inclusion among low-income households.
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