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By Chukwuma Umeorah
The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has urged Nigerian students to embrace professional certification and skills development to position themselves for emerging opportunities in the capital market, as recent legal reforms expand the scope of investment products and services.
The call was made by the President and Chairman of the Council of the Institute, Oluropo Dada, during a CIS–Yaba College of Technology career talk held in Lagos.
Dada said the Nigerian capital market was at a defining moment following amendments to the Investments and Securities Act (ISA), which formally recognise digital assets and cryptocurrency as exchange-traded products.
“The recognition of digital assets and cryptocurrency integrates digital finance into Nigeria’s mainstream capital market and aligns the country with global best practices,” he said.
He explained that the amendments have widened opportunities for capital market professionals, particularly in digital asset trading, blockchain-enabled investment products, tokenised securities and financial technology-driven innovations. According to him, these developments are expected to increase demand for skilled professionals with relevant certification and practical competence.
Dada encouraged students to take advantage of the Certified Securities and Investment Support Specialist programme, which allows undergraduates to begin their professional journey in the securities and investment industry while still in school. He described the programme as flexible and fully digitised, offering foundational knowledge in capital market operations as well as exposure to emerging areas of finance.
Speaking on the role of the Institute, Dada said the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers is the statutory professional body responsible for the training and certification of securities and investment professionals in Nigeria. He added that its mandate goes beyond examinations to include competence building, ethical standards and positioning professionals for global relevance.
On his part, the Rector of Yaba College of Technology, Dr Ibraheem Abdul, represented by the Deputy Rector (Academic), Dr Ismail Badmus, commended the Institute for promoting early exposure to finance and investment practice among students. He assured the Institute of continued collaboration in preparing graduates for the changing demands of the financial and investment environment.
