The Securities and Exchange Commission has warned Nigerians against the growing number of unregistered online investment schemes being promoted across social media platforms, describing many of them as Ponzi operations designed to defraud unsuspecting investors.

In a public notice dated 8 May 2026, and shared via its official X handle on Thursday, the Commission said several platforms offering guaranteed or unrealistic returns are not registered or authorised to operate in Nigeria’s capital market. According to the SEC, the schemes are being aggressively marketed on WhatsApp, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, Facebook, and other digital platforms to lure members of the public with promises of quick profits.

“The attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission has been drawn to the increasing promotion of unregistered online investment schemes on social media applications and websites,” the regulator stated.

The Commission noted that many of the operators exhibit characteristics of Ponzi or prohibited investment schemes, while some also provide unauthorised investment advisory services.

It urged Nigerians to avoid investment platforms promising unrealistic returns, warning that such schemes often expose investors to fraud and severe financial losses, stressing that only entities registered with the Commission are legally permitted to offer investment and advisory services in Nigeria.

The regulator advised members of the public to verify the registration status of any investment company or platform through its official fintech and capital market operator databases before committing funds.

The Nigerian equities market retreated on Thursday as a wave of mild profit-taking in several mid-cap stocks dampened the recent rally, resulting in a total loss of N170bn for investors. This downward movement saw the market capitalisation decline from N161.839tn at the start of the session to N161.669tn by the close of trading. In tandem with the drop in market value, the All-Share Index eased  0.11 per cent, moving from 252,508.19 points to 252,243.11 points.

Despite the marginal weakness in the broader index, market breadth remained technically positive as 37 equities managed to advance against 28 decliners. This suggests that while selling pressure in previously strong-performing mid-cap counters weighed on the valuation, buying interest was still distributed across a wide range of stocks.

On the performance board, Learn Africa emerged as the top gainer with a 10.00 per cent surge to close at N9.90, followed closely by Fidson, which rose 9.97 per cent to N124.60. Other significant gainers included Austin Laz, Berger Paints, and Deap Capital, all of which recorded appreciations of over 9.9 per cent.

Conversely, the market was dragged lower by Zichis, which shed 9.99 per cent to close at N32.69, and FTN Cocoa, which declined 9.87 per cent to N9.95. Other notable laggards included Meyer, RT Briscoe, and Neimeth, as investors locked in profits following their recent price appreciations.

Investor sentiment throughout the session was characterised by a rotation between sectors, with bargain hunting in the pharmaceutical and industrial categories partially offsetting the exit from agro-allied and services stocks. Market analysts noted that this selective approach indicates that participants are becoming more cautious and strategic after the index crossed the 250,000-point threshold earlier in the week. As the session concluded, the activity suggested a period of consolidation as investors rebalance their portfolios in anticipation of upcoming corporate earnings and macroeconomic data.

The National Publicity Secretary of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Ukadike, has tackled the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited over its attempt to increase its stake in the Dangote Petroleum Refinery despite the poor state of government-owned refineries.

Ukadike stated this while reacting to comments by the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, that the refinery rejected requests by the NNPC to increase its 7.25 per cent stake in the $20bn facility.

Dangote had disclosed this during an interview with the Chief Executive Officer of the Norwegian Sovereign Wealth Fund, Nicolai Tangen, monitored by our correspondents on Wednesday.

Reacting to the development, Ukadike questioned why the national oil company was seeking to invest more funds in the privately-owned refinery when the Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna refineries under its control had remained largely inactive despite billions of dollars spent on rehabilitation.

“Why is NNPC trying to invest money in the Dangote refinery when it has three refineries that are not working? Why is NNPC not investing that money in those ones?” Ukadike asked.

He added, “The NNPC did not revive our refineries, but they want to look for where the refinery is already working to put money into it. Does that make sense?”

The IPMAN spokesman said Dangote had the right to reject the offer from the NNPC if he considered it unsuitable for his business interests.

“If Dangote refused to sell more stakes to NNPC, he must have his reasons. Dangote is a businessman. He doesn’t want issues, unnecessary crises, and nepotism. He knows what he wants, and I also think he has enough cash to fund his business,” he stated.

Ukadike further urged the national oil company to focus on reviving critical oil infrastructure across the country instead of pursuing additional ownership of the refinery. “The NNPC should repair the pipelines and revive the refineries instead of eyeing the Dangote refinery,” he said.

Dangote had stated during the interview that the NNPC was interested in acquiring more shares in the refinery after previously purchasing a 7.25 per cent stake for $1bn in 2021. According to him, the request was rejected because the company planned to list the refinery publicly and allow more Nigerians to own shares in the project.

“The other biggest risk is government inconsistencies in policies, and we are addressing that one because if you look at our refinery, the national oil company already owns 7.25 per cent, and they are trying to buy more. We are the ones that said no; we want to now spread it and have everybody be part of it,” Dangote said.

The NNPC had initially planned to acquire a 20 per cent stake in the refinery, but later reduced its ownership to 7.25 per cent after failing to pay the balance before the June 2024 deadline.

Dangote had explained this in 2024, saying, “The agreement was actually 20 per cent, which we had with NNPC, and they did not pay the balance of the money up until last year; then we gave them another extension up until June (2024), and they said that they would remain where they had already paid, which is 7.2 per cent. So NNPC owns only 7.2 per cent, not 20 per cent.”

However, a stakeholder in the petroleum sector who pleaded for anonymity because of the sensitivity of the matter held that the interest of the nation is well served by NNPC having a 20 per cent stake in the Dangote refinery.

“I think Nigeria is better served by NNPC being a shareholder. If NNPC could have taken 20 per cent of that refinery, Nigeria as a country would be better served,” the stakeholder said.

According to him, the fact that the NNPC failed to get the 20 per cent take before does not mean it could not get it again. He said Dangote refused NNPC’s offer because he wants to remain in control.

“You know Dangote is planning to value his company at $50bn. I think he’s going to sell 10 per cent only, so he remains in control, making a lot of money for himself. Selling only 10 per cent means he has 90 per cent. If NNPC were there with 20 per cent, then NNPC would have two directors. These two directors would have some say,” he said.

The stakeholder added that such an important asset cannot exist in a country without the government’s involvement.

“You can’t have such a big asset in the country, and then the government or the government’s agent has no say in the decisions of that company. It can’t happen. It’s wrong. I’m not saying the government must have a say in all the big companies, but in a company that is so big that it can influence whether the sun rises or falls in that country, the government must have a say.

“The refinery is big. In any case, NNPC is also the supplier of last resort. It’s the national oil company. That has some meaning. I think that in the best interest of the country, if we all agree that Dangote is too big to fail, then it means that Nigerians as a people need to be inside the Dangote refinery to make sure it does not fail,” the operator said.

Meanwhile, a senior official of the NNPC said the NNPC is proud of its current stake in the Dangote refinery.

“The NNPC is proud and happy that we own a 7.2 per cent stake in Dangote. And whatever we own as a stake in Dangote as a national oil company is on behalf of the entire Nigeria. So, when the opportunity presents itself in the long term, yes.

“But right now, we are proud of the 7.2 per cent stake we own in the Dangote refinery. Apart from that, the quality and level of collaboration that is currently going on between NNPC and Dangote is in the interest of the entire Nigeria,” the official said, begging not to be mentioned because he was not authorised to speak on the matter.