Exchange-traded funds and real estate investment trusts quietly moved over half a billion naira last week, led by a pension-focused ETF and a real estate fund on the Main Board.
Data sighted by Confiance News shows that exchange-traded products on the NGX generated a combined turnover of N418.5 million during the week, with the Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 leading activity at N201.2 million across 1,354 deals, trading at N1,668.00 per unit.
The SIAML Pension ETF 40 followed with N76.5 million in value from 727 deals, while the Vetiva Banking ETF and Vetiva Griffin 30 ETF also featured among the most actively traded funds on the board.
On the real estate front, figures obtained by Confiance News show the UPDC Real Estate Investment Trust dominated the REITCEF Board, posting 1,162 deals worth N80.9 million, well ahead of the SFS REIT and UH REIT. Total REIT turnover for the week stood at N107.5 million, reflecting steady but modest investor appetite for property-backed instruments compared to equities and bonds.
What it means for investors
The relatively modest turnover in ETFs and REITs compared to equities and bonds highlights an underdeveloped but growing segment of Nigeria’s capital markets, one that offers investors diversified, lower-risk exposure to pensions, banking baskets, and real estate.
What it means for the economy
Growing REIT activity, particularly around UPDC’s holdings, signals gradual formalization of real estate investment, an asset class historically dominated by informal transactions. Wider adoption of ETFs also supports financial deepening, giving retail investors more accessible tools to participate in market growth without needing to pick individual stocks.
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