The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has raised capital requirements for market dealers (proprietary trading only) from N100 million to N1 billion and that of dealers (client execution only) from N200 million to N600million.
This is according to a circular released by the Commission on January 16, 2026, which replaces the long-standing 2015 capital regime and sets a compliance deadline of June 30, 2027.
The new framework aims to ‘improve market resilience’, weed out undercapitalised players, and reward firms with governance depth and scale.
The revised capital rules affect brokers, dealers, fund managers, issuing houses, fintech firms, and digital asset operators.
Broker-dealers face the steepest increase from N300 million to N2 billion, reflecting their multi-role exposure across trading, execution, and margin lending.
Managers overseeing assets above N20 billion will need N5 billion in capital, while mid-tier managers must hold N2 billion.
Private equity and venture capital firms face requirements of N500 million and N200 million, respectively.
A dynamic rule also kicks in: any firm managing assets above N100 billion must hold at least 10% of assets under management as capital.
Digital asset firms, previously operating in regulatory limbo, are now fully captured.
Exchanges and custodians must hold N2 billion each, while tokenisation platforms and intermediaries face thresholds between N500 million and N1 billion.
Even robo-advisers, considered low-risk, must now maintain N100 million in capital.
More on the sweeping changes
Issuing houses providing full underwriting services must now hold N7 billion in capital, while those offering advisory-only services need N2 billion.
Registrars, trustees, and underwriters face new floors of N2.5 billion, N2 billion, and N5 billion, respectively.
Even individual investment advisers—historically low-capital operations—must now meet a N10 million threshold.
Market infrastructure players have some of the highest capital obligations. Composite exchanges and central counterparties are each expected to maintain N10 billion in capital, while clearinghouses require N5 billion.
This signals the SEC’s focus on preserving the stability of systemic institutions within Nigeria’s capital market ecosystem.
The digital asset segment sees a clear shift from informal activity to formal oversight. With N2 billion required for digital exchanges and custodians, the SEC is sending a clear message: innovation will be encouraged only when backed by robust capital.
The capital rule changes are likely to accelerate a wave of consolidation, as smaller players struggle to meet the steep thresholds.
Operators may downscale, merge, or exit, while others may seek foreign investment or strategic partnerships to survive.
While this may shrink the number of market participants, it will raise the quality of those who remain.
For investors, this means a stronger safety net—operators with more robust financial cushions are better positioned to weather shocks and protect client assets.
For the SEC, the recalibration is strategic: fewer firms with stronger governance and balance sheets.
The industry now faces an 18-month window to comply, with the full implementation deadline set for June 30, 2027. By then, Nigeria’s capital market may look leaner, but also significantly stronger.
The new capital framework replaces the SEC’s 2015 capital rulebook, which had been widely criticised for being outdated in a fast-evolving financial landscape.
The Commission’s move comes as collective investment schemes, digital assets, and private equity funds continue to grow in complexity and risk exposure.
This update also follows the SEC’s recent efforts to formalise the regulation of Virtual Asset Service Providers (VASPs) through the introduction of the Digital Assets Rulebook in 2023.
That framework, combined with the new capital requirements, points to a future where digital finance must coexist with stricter capital and compliance oversight.