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How Can I Trace Shares I Bought in Nigeria?
To trace shares you bought, you can follow these steps: 1. Check Purchase Records: Begin by reviewing your purchase records. This may include trade confirmations, account statements, or receipts from your broker showing the details of the shares you bought. 2. Review Account Statements: Look throughRead more
To trace shares you bought, you can follow these steps:
1. Check Purchase Records: Begin by reviewing your purchase records. This may include trade confirmations, account statements, or receipts from your broker showing the details of the shares you bought.
2. Review Account Statements: Look through your account statements to identify the transaction when you bought the shares. This should include the date of purchase, number of shares, and price per share.
3. Check Online Brokerage Account: Log in to your online brokerage account if you have one. Most online platforms provide a detailed transaction history that can help you trace the shares you bought.
4. Contact Your Broker: If you are unable to locate the information on your own, consider reaching out to your broker directly. Provide them with relevant details such as the date of purchase, the stock symbol, and any other pertinent information to help them assist you in tracing your shares.
5. Review Tax Forms: Sometimes, details of stock transactions can be found on your tax forms such as Form 1099-B, provided by your broker at the end of the tax year. This can help you track down the shares you bought.
By following these steps and utilizing the resources available to you, you should be able to successfully trace the shares you bought.
See lessWhy Is My Sell Order for BUA Cement Shares Still Showing as "Executing" on the NGX?
What you observed is a real market phenomenon, and your explanation to him was on the right track. Let's use BUA Cement as the example. What happened? When your friend placed a sell order, he was saying: "I want to sell my shares." For the trade to happen, someone else must be willing to buy those sRead more
What you observed is a real market phenomenon, and your explanation to him was on the right track.
See lessLet’s use BUA Cement as the example.
What happened?
When your friend placed a sell order, he was saying:
“I want to sell my shares.”
For the trade to happen, someone else must be willing to buy those shares.
If the order book shows only offers (sell orders) and no bids (buy orders), it means:
Many investors want to sell.
No buyers are currently willing to buy at the available prices.
Without a matching buyer, the order remains “Executing” or “Open” until:
a buyer enters the market,
the seller changes the asking price, or
the order expires or is cancelled.
Why would there be no bids?
Several reasons can lead to this:
1. Investors think the price is too high. If sellers are asking ₦100 per share but buyers only want to pay ₦90, no trade occurs.
2. Weak market sentiment. Investors may be waiting for earnings, dividend announcements, or broader market news before buying.
3. Low liquidity. Some stocks don’t trade frequently. Even large companies can occasionally experience periods with few or no active buyers.
4. One-sided order book. Sometimes many shareholders decide to sell at the same time, but buyers are waiting at lower prices rather than bidding at current levels.
Why didn’t cancelling and placing the order again help?
Because the problem wasn’t his order—it was the market.
Imagine selling a car:
If you advertise it at ₦5 million and nobody wants to pay that amount, removing the advert and posting it again at the same price won’t attract buyers.
Either a buyer appears or you reduce your asking price.
The stock market works similarly.
What if he reduced his price?
Suppose the order book looked like this:
Offers (Sellers):
₦100.00 – 500,000 shares
Bids (Buyers):
₦97.00 – 300,000 shares
If he insists on selling at ₦100, he may wait.
If he is willing to sell at ₦97, his shares could be matched immediately (assuming the exchange’s order-matching rules and available bid volume).
Does this mean BUA Cement is a scam?
No.
It simply means that, at that moment, demand was lower than supply at the quoted prices.
This happens on stock exchanges worldwide, including the Nigerian market.
A lesson for investors
Before placing an order, it’s useful to check:
the order book,
bid volume,
offer volume,
recent trades.
This helps you see whether there are active buyers and sellers and at what prices.
Since you’ve been investing in Nigerian stocks for some time, I can also explain why some NGX stocks (including BUA Cement on certain days) can appear to have “only sellers and no buyers” even though the company itself is fundamentally strong. That involves market makers, price limits, investor psychology, and liquidity, and it often surprises even experienced investors.
Why Is the Share Price in My Portfolio Different From the Current NGX Market Price?
What you're seeing is most likely the difference between your purchase price (cost basis) and the current market price. For example: FIRSTHOLDCO Your portfolio shows ₦32 → This is likely the average price at which you bought the shares. NGX shows ₦52 → This is the current market price. GTCO Your porRead more
What you’re seeing is most likely the difference between your purchase price (cost basis) and the current market price.
See lessFor example:
FIRSTHOLDCO
Your portfolio shows ₦32 → This is likely the average price at which you bought the shares.
NGX shows ₦52 → This is the current market price.
GTCO
Your portfolio shows ₦57 → Your average purchase price.
NGX shows ₦121 → The current market price.
This is how most investment apps work:
Portfolio price = the average price you paid for your shares.
NGX price = the latest trading price on the Nigerian Exchange.
If this is the case, it means your investments have appreciated significantly:
FIRSTHOLDCO: Bought at ₦32, now trading around ₦52.
GTCO: Bought at ₦57, now trading around ₦121.
However, if your portfolio is labeling ₦32 and ₦57 as the current price, then it could be because:
The app has not updated with the latest NGX prices.
There is a delay in market data.
The app is displaying historical or adjusted prices.
How Do Companies Create and Issue Shares in Nigeria?
That's a very good question. Shares are not physically manufactured like products. Instead, they are created legally when a company decides how ownership will be divided. Here's how it works: 1. A company is incorporated When a company is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, its founderRead more
That’s a very good question. Shares are not physically manufactured like products. Instead, they are created legally when a company decides how ownership will be divided.
See lessHere’s how it works:
1. A company is incorporated
When a company is registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, its founders decide how much ownership the company will have.
For example, they may decide that the company will have:
100 million ordinary shares.
A nominal value of ₦1 per share.
This means the company’s ownership is divided into 100 million equal pieces.
2. The founders own the first shares
If there are two founders, they might split the shares like this:
Founder A: 60 million shares (60%)
Founder B: 40 million shares (40%)
No money has been “created.” The shares simply represent ownership.
3. The company can issue more shares
As the business grows and needs more capital, it may issue additional shares to new investors through a rights issue, private placement, or public offering.
Issuing new shares raises money for the company, but it also dilutes existing shareholders unless they buy some of the new shares.
Is there a maximum number of shares?
There is no fixed maximum number under Nigerian law.
Instead, a company has an authorized share capital, which is the maximum number (or value) of shares it is currently allowed to issue under its constitutional documents and applicable law.
If the company wants to issue more than that, it must:
Obtain shareholder approval.
Increase its authorized share capital in accordance with Nigerian corporate law.
File the necessary documents with the Corporate Affairs Commission.
So, a company could have:
10 million shares,
1 billion shares,
or even 100 billion shares,
provided it follows the legal procedures.
Does having more shares make a company more valuable?
No.
For example:
Company A has 1 million shares worth ₦100 each. Total value = ₦100 million.
Company B has 100 million shares worth ₦1 each. Total value = ₦100 million.
Both companies have the same total value. The number of shares only determines how ownership is divided.
This is why companies like Zenith Bank Plc or MTN Nigeria Communications Plc can have billions of shares outstanding, while smaller companies may have only millions. The number of shares alone does not indicate whether a company is large or small.
Is Buying the Current Dip in Zenith Bank Shares a Good Investment Decision?
A falling share price does not automatically mean a stock has become a bargain. The key question is why it is falling. For Zenith Bank Plc, there are two important things to consider: The recent decline is not unique to Zenith Bank. Nigeria's banking sector has been under broad selling pressure, witRead more
A falling share price does not automatically mean a stock has become a bargain. The key question is why it is falling.
See lessFor Zenith Bank Plc, there are two important things to consider:
The recent decline is not unique to Zenith Bank. Nigeria’s banking sector has been under broad selling pressure, with many tier-1 banks declining as investors took profits after a strong rally earlier in the year. �
Nairametrics +1
Zenith Bank’s underlying business remains relatively strong. Recent financial reports indicate the bank continues to generate solid earnings, although growth has moderated compared with previous periods. �
Investadvocate
A few questions you should ask before buying the dip are:
Is the decline caused by profit-taking or by a deterioration in the bank’s fundamentals?
Has the share price already adjusted for a recent dividend (an ex-dividend price adjustment)? If so, part of the drop is expected and does not necessarily signal weakness. �
Nairametrics
Are you investing for 5–10 years, or are you looking for a quick trading profit?
Since we’ve discussed your investment goals before, I know you’re interested in long-term wealth building rather than short-term speculation. From that perspective, buying quality companies during market corrections can be a sensible strategy—but it is usually better to:
Invest gradually instead of committing all your money at once.
Keep some cash in case the price falls further.
Diversify by owning other quality stocks or mutual funds instead of concentrating everything in one bank.
If I were evaluating Zenith Bank today as a long-term investment, I would describe it as a reasonable “buy on weakness” candidate, provided:
you have a long investment horizon (at least 3–5 years),
you are comfortable with short-term price volatility, and
Zenith does not become an outsized portion of your portfolio.
What Is the Use of the NSE Stock Trade Board for Investors?
The NSE (now NGX) stock trade board is the electronic screen that displays all listed shares and their current market information. It is one of the most important tools for investors because it shows what is happening in the market in real time or at the close of trading. Here are its main uses: VieRead more
The NSE (now NGX) stock trade board is the electronic screen that displays all listed shares and their current market information. It is one of the most important tools for investors because it shows what is happening in the market in real time or at the close of trading.
See lessHere are its main uses:
View current share prices – You can see the latest price of each listed company’s shares.
Monitor price movement – It shows whether a stock is gaining or losing value compared to the previous trading day.
Check bid and offer prices – You can see:
Bid: The highest price buyers are willing to pay.
Offer (Ask): The lowest price sellers are willing to accept.
See trading volume – It displays how many shares have been bought and sold during the trading session, helping you judge investor interest.
Make buying and selling decisions – Investors use the trade board to determine whether to place a Market Order, Limit Order, or wait for a better price.
Track market performance – You can identify which stocks are the top gainers, top losers, and the most actively traded.
Since you’ve mentioned before that you’re using the InvestNaija app, the trade board there helps you decide when to buy or sell shares. For example:
If you see Access Holdings trading at ₦30.50 with many sellers and you believe it’s worth buying at ₦30.00, you can place a Limit Order at ₦30.00 and wait for the market to reach your price.
If you’re comfortable buying immediately at the current market price, you can place a Market Order.
The trade board is essentially the marketplace display for the stock exchange—it lets you see the prices, demand, supply, and trading activity before making an investment decision.
How Does Stock Investing Work in Nigeria?
Stocks (also called shares) represent ownership in a company. When you buy a stock on the Nigerian Exchange Group, you become a part-owner of that company, even if you own only a tiny fraction. Here's how it works in Nigeria: A company sells shares to raise money for expansion. Investors buy those sRead more
Stocks (also called shares) represent ownership in a company. When you buy a stock on the Nigerian Exchange Group, you become a part-owner of that company, even if you own only a tiny fraction.
See lessHere’s how it works in Nigeria:
A company sells shares to raise money for expansion.
Investors buy those shares through a licensed stockbroker or investment platform.
If the company performs well and more people want its shares, the share price can rise.
You can make money in two ways:
Capital appreciation: Buy at ₦20 and later sell at ₦35, making ₦15 per share.
Dividends: Some companies share part of their profits with shareholders, usually once or twice a year.
Does a low-priced stock have an advantage over a high-priced stock?
Not necessarily. A low share price does not mean a stock is cheap, and a high share price does not mean it is expensive.
For example:
Company A trades at ₦5 per share.
Company B trades at ₦500 per share.
If both increase by 20%:
₦5 becomes ₦6 (₦1 gain per share).
₦500 becomes ₦600 (₦100 gain per share).
The percentage return is the same (20%).
Advantages of low-priced stocks
You can buy more shares with a small amount of money.
If the company grows significantly, the percentage gains can be substantial.
They are often attractive to new investors because they seem affordable.
Disadvantages of low-priced stocks
Many are priced low because the company has financial or operational challenges.
They can be more volatile, with larger price swings.
Some pay little or no dividends.
Advantages of high-priced stocks
They are often established companies with stronger earnings and better governance (though not always).
Many have a history of paying consistent dividends.
They may be less volatile than smaller, lower-priced companies.
What should you focus on instead of the share price?
A smart investor should evaluate:
The company’s profits and revenue growth.
Whether it pays regular dividends.
Its debt level.
Future growth prospects.
Whether the current market price is reasonable relative to its value.
A company trading at ₦500 can be a better bargain than one trading at ₦5 if its business is much stronger.
Since you’ve been asking about long-term investing, I suggest focusing on quality companies that have:
Consistent profits,
A record of paying dividends,
Strong management,
Good long-term growth prospects.
In the Nigerian market, many long-term investors monitor companies in sectors such as banking, telecommunications, consumer goods, and industrials rather than choosing stocks simply because their share prices are low.
How Do I Buy Shares on InvestNaija Using Market or Limit Order?
For a typical long-term investor buying shares on InvestNaija, these are the options I recommend: 1. Market vs. Limit ✅ Market (Buy at official market price) Your order is executed at the best available market price. Best if you simply want to buy the shares as soon as possible. This is what most beRead more
For a typical long-term investor buying shares on InvestNaija, these are the options I recommend:
See less1. Market vs. Limit
✅ Market (Buy at official market price)
Your order is executed at the best available market price.
Best if you simply want to buy the shares as soon as possible.
This is what most beginners use.
Limit (Buy at my set price)
You specify the maximum price you’re willing to pay.
Your order will only execute if the share price falls to that price.
If the market never reaches your price, your order remains unfilled.
Which should you choose?
Choose Market if you’re comfortable buying at the current market price.
Choose Limit only if you have a specific price target and are willing to wait.
2. Good for the Day vs. Good Till Cancelled
Good for the Day (Day Order)
Your order is valid only for that trading day.
If it isn’t executed before the market closes, it expires automatically.
Good Till Cancelled (GTC)
Your order stays active until it is executed or you manually cancel it (subject to the broker’s maximum validity period).
Which should you choose?
If you’re using Market, choose Good for the Day. Market orders are usually executed quickly during market hours, so there’s little reason to leave them open.
If you’re using Limit, choose Good Till Cancelled if you’re happy to wait until the stock reaches your target price.
For most first-time investors
The simplest combination is:
✅ Market
✅ Good for the Day
That combination buys the shares at the current market price as soon as possible.
I'm totally new to Stock investment in Nigeria, No account, No app, where do i even start?
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to learn everything before taking the first step. You do not need to understand technical analysis, candlestick patterns, IPOs, ETFs, dividends, market cycles, and valuation models before you start. Most successful investors learned those gradually. For sRead more
The biggest mistake beginners make is trying to learn everything before taking the first step.
See lessYou do not need to understand technical analysis, candlestick patterns, IPOs, ETFs, dividends, market cycles, and valuation models before you start. Most successful investors learned those gradually.
For someone in Nigeria starting from absolute zero, this is the simplest path:
Phase 1: Get Your Investment Infrastructure Ready
Step 1: Open a Stockbroking Account
Choose one regulated Nigerian stockbroker.
Examples include:
Meristem Securities
CardinalStone Securities
Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers
United Capital Securities
Since you’ve mentioned Meritrade before, you’re already familiar with that ecosystem, so continuing there is perfectly fine.
Step 2: Obtain Your CSCS Account
The broker will help you create a Central Securities Clearing System account.
Think of CSCS as:
Your “bank account” for shares.
Where your shares are stored electronically.
Step 3: Fund Your Brokerage Account
Start small.
Not ₦500,000.
Not ₦1 million.
Even ₦20,000–₦50,000 is enough to learn.
Your first goal is education, not becoming rich immediately.
Phase 2: Learn the Market
Most beginners ask:
“What stock should I buy?”
A better question is:
“How do I know a good company when I see one?”
Focus on these concepts:
Week 1: Understand What a Share Is
A share means ownership.
If you buy shares of GTCO, you own a tiny piece of the business.
If profits grow:
Share price may rise.
Dividends may be paid.
Week 2: Learn Market Terminology
Understand:
Dividend
Capital appreciation
Market capitalization
Earnings
P/E Ratio
Rights issue
Bonus shares
IPO
Don’t rush.
One concept at a time.
Week 3: Follow Companies
Pick 5 companies and study them.
For example:
GTCO
Zenith Bank
Seplat Energy
Dangote Cement
MTN Nigeria
Ask:
What business are they in?
Are profits growing?
Do they pay dividends?
Do I understand their business?
Phase 3: Make Your First Investment
With ₦50,000:
Don’t buy 10 stocks.
Buy 1–2 quality companies.
Example approach:
50% in a strong bank stock.
50% in another blue-chip company.
The objective is learning how:
Orders work.
Settlement works.
Dividends are received.
Share prices move.
Phase 4: Ignore Technical Analysis Initially
Many YouTube channels start with:
Candlesticks
Support and resistance
Fibonacci
RSI
MACD
These are useful for traders.
You are an investor first.
Learn:
Business quality.
Earnings growth.
Dividends.
Valuation.
Technical analysis can come later.
Phase 5: Build a Beginner Portfolio
A simple starter portfolio might focus on:
Banking
GTCO
Zenith Bank
Telecoms
MTN Nigeria
Industrials
Dangote Cement
Energy
Seplat Energy
These are companies many long-term Nigerian investors monitor because they have established businesses and public financial records.
The 90-Day Beginner Roadmap
Month 1
Open brokerage account.
Get CSCS account.
Learn market terminology.
Follow 5 companies.
Month 2
Invest first ₦20,000–₦50,000.
Learn how to place orders.
Read quarterly results.
Month 3
Learn dividends.
Learn how to read financial statements.
Add funds regularly.
If I were guiding a complete beginner in Nigeria today with ₦50,000 and no prior experience, I would spend the first month learning and then make a small purchase of one or two quality Nigerian stocks rather than chasing IPO hype, penny stocks, or daily trading opportunities.