The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has implored Nigerian civil servants to take advantage of opportunities in the capital market to build wealth, enhance financial security and actively participate in national economic growth.
Speaking during a strategic engagement with the Head of Service of the Federation, Dame Didi Walson-Jack, and top officials of the service, the Director-General of SEC, Dr. Emomotimi Agama, said the capital market should no longer be seen as distant from the everyday lives of public servants but as a viable platform for long-term savings and investment. Agama stressed that civil servants, beyond earning monthly salaries, must position themselves as investors and stakeholders in the economy, noting that this would improve their financial stability both during service and in retirement.
“The capital market is a platform for wealth creation and financial security. Our collective goal should be to move civil servants from being just salary earners to becoming active investors and beneficiaries of economic growth,” he said. He explained that the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) already linked millions of civil servants to the capital market, as pension funds are invested in government bonds, equities, infrastructure funds and other market instruments.
According to him, the performance of these investments directly affects the retirement benefits of workers. Agama noted that a better understanding of how the capital market operates would deepen confidence in the pension system and encourage civil servants to explore additional investment options such as mutual funds, bonds, Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and other regulated instruments.
To achieve this, the SEC boss proposed a structured financial literacy programme tailored specifically for the civil service, aimed at equipping workers with practical knowledge on savings, investment planning, home ownership and education funding. On her part, Didi WalsonJack expressed willingness to collaborate with the SEC to harness the potentials inherent in the capital market for the benefit of the Civil Service and the nation.
Walson-Jack said: “We accept your proposals for training on financial education for civil servants. The civil servant commits his/ her entire life to the service of the nation but goes home with very little. We are available to forge a strategic alliance to reverse some of these issues confronting civil servants. Your offer of training should include those exiting the system on retirement.
