The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has issued an urgent directive to all capital market operators to submit their second-quarter 2026 Ownership Structure and Capital Flows Returns by **Friday, July 10, 2026**.
The reminder, published on Wednesday, July 8, gives affected institutions just 48 hours to comply. The requirement applies to registrars, brokers/dealers, fund managers, and other relevant players in the capital market.
Purpose of the Exercise
The SEC described the reporting as a continuous quarterly obligation aimed at enhancing the quality, coverage, and reliability of Nigeria’s external sector statistics, particularly the Balance of Payments (BOP) and International Investment Position (IIP).
Operators are expected to provide detailed data on new equity and debt investments involving residents and non-residents, foreign portfolio holdings, cross-border transactions, and investments linked to mergers and acquisitions.
Registrars must submit ownership structure information through a designated Google Form, while brokers/dealers and fund managers are required to file three separate returns covering domestic transactions for non-residents, foreign transactions for Nigerian residents, and the current US dollar value of foreign investments managed on behalf of residents.
Compliance Expectations
The Commission urged all operators to strictly follow the provided reporting templates and guidance notes to ensure submissions are complete and accurate. It acknowledged operators who have consistently met reporting timelines, describing their cooperation as a valuable contribution to a national assignment.
The directive comes as Nigeria’s capital market continues to attract international attention, including its recent placement on S&P Dow Jones Indices’ 2027 Frontier Market Watchlist. Timely and reliable data from the sector is critical for multilateral institutions, rating agencies, and foreign investors evaluating the country’s macroeconomic position and investment climate.
Compliance officers across registrars, brokerage firms, and asset management companies now face a narrow window to finalise and validate their Q2 figures before the deadline.
