Introduction
In January 2026, the Nigerian Securities and Trade Fee (SEC) (the “Fee”) of Nigeria issued a round that considerably elevated the minimal capital necessities for Capital Market Operators (CMOs). The Fee has highlighted that these adjustments are supposed to strengthen market resilience, shield buyers, guarantee capital adequacy displays the dangers of market actions, and ensure that regulated entities have enough monetary capability to fulfill their obligations sustainably.
Key Modifications to Capital Necessities
The revised capital necessities introduce substantial will increase throughout most operator classes. The round additional states that the Fee will difficulty additional detailed steerage to capital market operators on compliance and capital verification processes. As well as, the Fee has additionally launched a number of new Digital Asset Service Supplier (VASP) license classes, reflecting the rising prominence of digital finance and fintech actions in Nigeria’s capital markets. The newly launched classes embody:
1. Ancillary Digital Asset Service Suppliers (AVASPs)
2. Digital Property Intermediaries (DAIs)
3. Digital Property Platform Operators (DAPOs); and
4. Actual World Property Tokenization and Providing Platforms (RATOPs).
The formal inclusion of those new VASP license classes courses highlights an space the place additional regulatory readability shall be required. The round doesn’t expressly determine the varieties of actions that fall inside every of the newly launched VASP classes. In follow, this means that the Fee is prone to difficulty additional directives, pointers, and compliance necessities to make clear the scope, licensing thresholds, and compliance obligations relevant to operators who fall inside these new classes. To supply a transparent view of the adjustments, we’ve summarised some capital market operator license classes alongside the newly launched VASP license classes within the desk beneath:
| Operator Class | Earlier Minimal Capital | New Minimal Capital | % Improve |
| Brokers (shopper execution) | N200m | N600m | 200% |
| Sellers (proprietary buying and selling) | N100m | N1bn | 900% |
| Dealer-Sellers | N300m | N2bn | 567% |
| Full-Scope Portfolio Mangers | N150m | N5bn | 3,233% |
| Restricted-Scope Portfolio Managers | N150m | N2bn | 1,233% |
| Robo-Advisers | N10m | N100m | 900% |
| Ancillary Digital Asset Suppliers | New | N300m | New |
| Digital Property Intermediaries | New | N500m | New |
| Digital Asset Platform Operators | New | N500m | New |
| Actual-World Property Tokenisation Platforms | New | N1bn | New |
Implications for Market Operators
The substantial will increase in minimal capital necessities carry important implications for market operators. Operators might want to overview and probably modify their capital constructions, increase extra funds the place essential, and discover partnerships or restructuring methods to fulfill the brand new thresholds. Non-compliance may end in suspension or withdrawal of registration, making proactive planning important. The Fee has offered an 18-month transitional interval, giving operators till June 30, 2027, to adjust to the brand new thresholds.
Conclusion
The Fee’s 2026 capital requirement revision is a major improvement for Nigeria’s capital markets. Operators should assess their capital adequacy and compliance methods, not solely to fulfill larger capital thresholds, but in addition to arrange for potential upcoming directives referring to the newly launched VASP classes.
