Some Capital Market Operators have called for the introduction of capital market studies in secondary schools in Nigeria.
This they said it would adequately equip younger Nigerians for economic growth, equitable investment opportunities and better investment culture.
The operators made the suggestion in Lagos, against the backdrop of getting more millennial to put their money to work for them.
Mr Gbadebo Olatokunbo, a pioneer and Co-Founder, Noble Shareholders Solidarity Association said younger Nigerians knew very little about the capital market and were not thinking about it in that line of investments.
Olatokunbo said the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Ltd., was trying in its bit to get the younger set of Nigerians educated on activities of the market but submitted that there was still a lot to be done, specifically, on the part of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).
“The bitter truth is that we seriously need to start teaching of the capital-market at the early stage of our secondary education or the market shall later in near future, belong only to the elites and foreign investors.
“A personal bitter experience is a graduate son of mine who do not believe in all my stories to him on capital market and has not developed any interest in the market because his dreams are somewhere else.
“The capital market stakeholders need to seriously open up on activities and operations of the market, in order to make it easy for the understanding of the market to new comers.
“Many of the systems and activities are of many technicalities that are confusing to the younger generations. There must be simplicity of capital market activities make it more attractive to the younger generation,” he said.
Olatokunbo, who is also a shareholder activist urged regulators and operators to have simplified books on activities and knowledge of the market.
He also explained that radio and television programmes on enlightenment and education were of necessity to get the new comers especially youths into the market.
On his part, Mr Moses Igbure, President, Issuers and Investors Alternative Dispute Resolution said there was urgent need to employ calculated strategies to get young Nigerians involved in the capital market.
According to Igbure, the strategies should involve massive mass awareness campaign by all stakeholders in the system.
“The way to deepen, encourage and attract younger Nigerians to the equity investments on the Nigeria Stock Market is only through continued education.
“Also, calculated strategy of mass awareness campaign by all stakeholders in the value chain of Capital Market: from the stock brokers, NGX, to regulators,” he said.
