How to retrieve forgotten stocks

This is a very common situation in Nigeria, especially with stocks bought years ago through brokers, banks, or IPO allocations. The good news is: your stocks are usually not lost — they are just “unclaimed” or “dormant” in the system.
Let me walk you through the exact practical steps to recover them.
1. First Understand Where Your Stocks Are Held
In Nigeria, stocks are not kept by the broker in paper form. They are held in your:
👉 CSCS account (Central Securities Clearing System)
This is the most important thing.
Your stocks are tied to:
CSCS account number
CHN (Clearing House Number)
The broker you used
Even if you forget the broker, CSCS can still help trace it.
2. Gather Any Information You Have
Before recovery, try to remember or find:
Broker name (even partial memory helps)
Phone number or email used at registration
Bank account used for funding purchase
Any stock certificate or contract note
Your full name (exact spelling matters)
3. Contact CSCS Directly (Most Important Step)
Go directly to:
👉 Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS)
They can:
Trace your CHN
Identify all stocks linked to your identity
Tell you your current broker
Help you re-activate access
Ask for:
“Account trace / investor portfolio enquiry”
They will guide you on identity verification (BVN, ID card, etc.)
4. Contact Any Likely Broker You Used
If you remember even 1 possible broker:
Stockbrokers Nigeria Ltd
Meristem Securities
CardinalStone
Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers
ARM Securities
Call or visit and ask:
“I want to retrieve dormant shares linked to my name”
Many brokers still hold client records even after years.
5. Check Your CSCS Statement (Very Important)
Once your CHN is found:
Request a CSCS account statement
It will show:
All shares you own
Companies (e.g. MTN, Zenith, Dangote, etc.)
Quantity of shares
Value
This is your “stock recovery map.”
6. If Broker Is No Longer Active
Don’t panic.
Your stocks are still safe in CSCS.
What happens:
You can transfer them to a new broker
Or reactivate through CSCS assistance
7. Go Through Your Bank (Hidden Shortcut)
If you used a bank to buy stocks:
Go to that bank (investment/stock desk)
Ask them to search your investment history
Banks like:
GTBank
Access Bank
Zenith Bank
UBA
often still have records.
8. Watch Out for Abandoned Dividends
Even if stocks are dormant:
You may have unpaid dividends
These can also be reclaimed
Ask CSCS:
“Do I have unclaimed dividends?”
Important Reality (So You Don’t Get Misled)
Your stocks are NOT deleted
They are NOT gone
They are just “inactive accounts”
Nigeria’s system is centralized — CSCS keeps records.
Simple Action Plan for You
Do this in order:
Try remembering broker name
Contact CSCS for account tracing
Visit or call likely broker
Request CSCS statement
Confirm holdings + reactivate account
If You Want, I Can Help You More Deeply
If you reply with:
Approx year you bought the stocks
Any company names you remember
Any broker or bank you used
I can guide you step-by-step like a recovery checklist specific to your case.