SEC sets July 10 deadline for Q2 ownership, capital flows returns

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all Capital Market Operators (CMOs) to submit their Q2 2026 Ownership Structure and Capital Flows Returns on or before Friday, July 10, 2026, as part of efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s external sector statistics.

The directive was contained in a circular titled “Request for the Submission of Q2 2026 Ownership Structure and Capital Flows Returns,” published by the Commission on Wednesday, July 8, 2026.

The requirement applies to Registrars, Brokers/Dealers, Fund Managers, and other relevant operators in the Nigerian capital market.

According to the SEC, the quarterly returns are essential for compiling Nigeria’s Balance of Payments (BOP) and International Investment Position (IIP) statistics, which provide key indicators of the country’s external financial position.

“This exercise forms part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality, coverage, and reliability of Nigeria’s external sector statistics,” the Commission stated.

The regulator stressed that the reporting exercise is a continuous quarterly obligation and not a one-time requirement.

Under the directive, operators are expected to disclose information on new equity and debt investments involving residents and non-residents, foreign portfolio holdings in Nigerian companies, cross-border capital market transactions, and investments arising from mergers, acquisitions, and other business combinations involving resident and foreign entities.

Specifically, reporting entities are required to provide data on investments in newly issued equities and debt securities, foreign portfolio investment holdings, multinational corporations’ investments in Nigeria’s capital market, and equity and bond investments held abroad by Nigerian resident companies.

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The Commission instructed operators to strictly adhere to the reporting templates provided for each operator category, carefully review the accompanying guidance, and ensure that all submissions are complete, accurate, and submitted within the stipulated deadline.

According to the SEC, Registrars are required to submit information on the ownership structure of Nigerian companies through a designated Google Form, while Brokers/Dealers and Fund Managers must file three separate returns covering domestic transactions executed on behalf of non-resident investors, foreign transactions undertaken for Nigerian residents, and the current U.S. dollar value of foreign investments managed on behalf of Nigerian residents.

The Commission also acknowledged operators that have consistently complied with previous reporting requirements and met submission timelines, describing their cooperation as an important contribution to a national assignment.

The reporting requirement comes as Nigeria’s capital market continues to attract growing international attention, including its recent inclusion on the S&P Dow Jones Indices’ 2027 Frontier Market Watchlist. Market observers say accurate and comprehensive capital market data is critical to enhancing investor confidence and supporting Nigeria’s integration into global financial markets.

The SEC reiterated that the Balance of Payments and International Investment Position reports are relied upon by multilateral institutions, credit rating agencies, and foreign investors in assessing Nigeria’s macroeconomic outlook.

With the deadline falling just two days after the circular was issued, compliance officers across registrars, brokerage firms, and asset management companies face a narrow window to compile, validate, and submit their second-quarter data. The Commission urged all affected operators to ensure full compliance before the July 10 deadline.