The Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS) has said it will continue to work with the Board and Management of Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to build a world class securities market in Nigeria.

Its President, Oluwole Adeosun made this known during the closing gong ceremony to celebrate the CIS and the commemoration of the return to full physical trading at the exchange in Lagos recently.

Adeosun noted that the resilience and creativity shown by the exchange during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 to ensure that the bourse kept on working was highly commendable while adding that the exchange did not allow the pandemic to dominate trading as investors made gains during the period.

He also added that the institute has achieved so much in the last few years with the support of NGX, a support it values so much.

“I am pleased to affirm that the CIS and NGX in a working relationship all these years has continued to wax stronger and will continue to improve because we will support the exchange with the members on the trading floor of NGX. We reiterate that we will continue to work with the exchange as partners and support in its effort to build a world class securities market in Nigeria”, Adeosun said.

The CIS President thereafter said the institute would work with NGX to develop and grow its alternative market possibilities to expand its product offerings.

Earlier in his opening remark, the Chairman, Board of Directors, NGX, Abubakar Mahmoud, said the NGX and the CIS have in 30 years, enjoyed a mutually beneficial relationship through strategic partnerships and landmark initiatives, which has contributed to deepening, expanding and repositioning the capital market for efficient service delivery to the public and its valued stakeholders.

Mahmoud, who was represented by a non-executive director on the NGX board, Yomi Adeyemi, said, “The capital market, especially the NGX has no doubt benefitted immensely from the quality of professionals that have come through the ranks of the institute. It is our strong hope that we can continue to count on the institute to sustain this unimpeachable record of producing exceptional professionals, who have the highest sense of duty and devotion to the development of the capital market ecosystem.

” There is no doubt that at the outset of COVID-19, NGX had to rely on the cooperation of key stakeholders, including CIS, to respond effectively to the change and uncertainty. We are indeed delighted to note that NGX successfully transited to remote trading with no downtime recorded throughout the entire period. This is a landmark achievement that would have been impossible without the cooperation of the institute and unrelenting support of its members.  We are confident that the return to full physical trading will be beneficial to the capital market, and lead to improved outcomes that will renew investor confidence and catalyse the market for greater contribution to the economy”.

NGX Group chairman, Alhaji Umar Kwairanga, applaud the institute for the achievements of the Institute in raising the standards of skills and qualifications as well as enhancing trust in the financial services sector over the past 30 years. He commended the Past Presidents of the institute for their significant contribution to the Capital markets, which has made sustained the institute on the path of growth and expansion. He reiterates the commitment of NGX Group, to continued partnership that will be beneficial to the capital market.

For his part, the Chief Executive Officer, NGX, Temi Popoola, said that the CIS are the gate-keepers of the market while noting that the market in the last 3 years has been much stronger due to its working relationship with the institute.

“We really do hope that the stockbrokers come back to the floor. We know that people are used to remote trading but we would like that atmosphere of trading to come back to the floor and this is what we are trying to catalyse”, Popoola said.