SEC says Investors to receive dividends in 24 hours

The Security and Exchange Commission says investors in the Nigerian Capital market are now to get dividend payment within 24 hours through the e-Dividend Payment Platform, making it the first in the history of any capital market in Africa.

Director General of Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Mounir Gwarzo, who made the disclosure at the e-Dividend Sensitisation Town Hall Meeting in Lagos, Thursday, said the proposed system will automatically allow dividends to be credited directly into shareholders' accounts within 24 hours of payment by the company.

Gwarzo stated that this was one of the initiatives being implemented by the Commission as part of its 10 year Capital Market Master Plan to encourage retail investors to return to the market and thereby deepen the market.

The DG assured that once the e-dividend platform is fully operational the issue of stale warrant will be of the past, while emphasising that the only way to attract retail investors back to the market is to ensure that concrete steps are taken to adequately address their concerns.