SEC deadline for Q2 ownership, capital flows returns lapses today

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has directed all Capital Market Operators to submit their Q2 2026 Ownership Structure and Capital Flows Returns by Friday, July 10, 2026. The directive, issued in a circular on Wednesday, July 8, gave registrars, brokers, and fund managers just two days to comply, a deadline that lapses today.

According to the Commission, the returns are critical for compiling Nigeria’s Balance of Payments (BOP) and International Investment Position (IIP) statistics, forming part of ongoing efforts to improve the quality, coverage, and reliability of external sector data. Operators are required to provide quarterly information 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 data on the ownership structure of Nigerian companies via designated Google Forms, while brokers and fund managers are expected to file three separate returns each: domestic transactions executed for non-resident investors, foreign transactions carried out for Nigerian residents, and the current US-dollar value of foreign investments managed on behalf of Nigerian residents.

The SEC emphasised that the exercise is a continuous quarterly obligation, not a one-off requirement, and urged operators to strictly follow the reporting templates and guidance provided. It also acknowledged firms that have consistently complied, describing their cooperation as a contribution to a national assignment.

This reporting requirement comes as Nigeria’s capital market gains international visibility, including its recent placement on S&P Dow Jones Indices’ 2027 Frontier Market Watchlist. Reliable data collection, the Commission noted, strengthens Nigeria’s case for deeper integration with global capital markets and shapes how multilateral institutions, rating agencies, and foreign investors assess the country’s macroeconomic position.

With the July 10 deadline expiring today, compliance officers across registrars, brokerage firms, and asset managers face intense pressure to ensure their Q2 figures are collated, validated, and submitted before the close of business.