Cowrywise Financial Technology Ltd, Through Cftl Digital Services Ltd, Partners With Meristem To Lower The Barrier To Entry Into The Nigerian Capital Market

Cowrywise, Nigeria’s leading investment tech business, along with its sister company, CFTL Digital (a digital sub-broker, licensed to carry out brokerage services), and Meristem, the renowned capital market conglomerate, have entered into a strategic alliance forged in a shared belief: that every Nigerian deserves access to wealth-building opportunities.

By combining Cowrywise’s innovative digital platform with Meristem Stockbrokers’ trusted market infrastructure, both companies aim to revolutionise the Nigerian stock investment market. Together, they are significantly lowering the barriers to entry, ensuring that every Nigerian armed with a smartphone and data can purchase stocks seamlessly—regardless of social status. This partnership allows Nigerians to become shareholders, grow wealth as companies succeed, and take part in the Nigerian dream.

In a press event themed “A partnership that moves the market forward”, the two organisations officially kicked off the collaboration with the launch of Cowrywise’s disruptive Stock Investment feature, through CFTL Digital, its sister company, on the Cowrywise app. Established in 2017 and led by Razaq Ahmed (CFA) and Edward Popoola, Cowrywise has created a dynamic and personalised all-in-one investment app to help Nigerians invest based on their lifestyle choices and personal preferences.

This level of flexibility and personalisation means that retail investors can actually enjoy the ritual of investing. It no longer has to feel like a chore or a burden. By building the app at the intersection of lifestyle, accessibility, and income, Nigerians can truly embrace the journey to building lasting wealth.

This is in line with our mission: to make investing as easy as sending a tweet. “Cowrywise’s products encapsulate the needs of the everyday Nigerian looking to build wealth in a way that fits their lifestyle and their pocket,” said Grillo Adebiyi, Marketing Manager, Cowrywise. “Our users can start investing with as little as ₦5,000. With this new stock product, we’re creating even more opportunities for Nigerians to grow their financial futures.”

The Nigerian equities market delivered its strongest monthly performance of the year in July 2025, with the NGX All-Share Index surging 16.57% to close at 139,863.5 points. Market capitalization expanded by ₦12.62 trillion, reaching ₦88.4 trillion. Gains were broad-based, reflecting sustained investor confidence, positive earnings releases, and increased participation from both local and foreign investors.

The rally was consistent across all trading weeks in July 2025, underscoring a resilient bullish sentiment. This performance highlights renewed optimism in the Nigerian capital market, positioning it as one of Africa’s top-performing bourses for the period.

To help Nigerians take advantage of the growing capital market, Cowrywise, through CFTL Digital, launched Stocks by Cowrywise. During the demo session, Product Lead at Cowrywise, Yarmirama Ashama, showcased ground-breaking features designed to disrupt the stock investment market. Features such as the real-time market dashboard, liquidity ratings, educational content and a wealth of insights on each listed company were carefully curated to help investors purchase shares with confidence.

But an intuitive front-end interface alone isn’t enough. For stock investing to truly scale, it must rest on a foundation of trust and execution excellence.

That’s where Meristem Stockbrokers Limited steps in.

More than just powering the back office, Meristem is the trusted gateway that connects investors to the Nigerian capital market. With over 20 years of market leadership in stockbroking expertise, a strong regulatory foundation, and a proven track record under the leadership of Bashir Saheed Adewale, (FCA, FCS), Meristem ensures that trades are executed with precision, speed, and integrity. Every buy and sell order is handled with a commitment to “best execution”—delivering the most advantageous outcomes possible under prevailing market conditions.

“We don’t just execute trades; we enable confidence,” said Adefemi Taiwo, Head of Marketing and Corporate Communications at Meristem Nigeria. “Our infrastructure and commitment to best execution ensure that every investor, no matter their background, has access to world-class capital market services. Partnering with Cowrywise wasn’t just a strategic decision; it was a shared vision to disrupt the market and move it forward.”

Under the leadership of Saheed Bashir, Meristem Stockbrokers has consistently demonstrated unmatched expertise—from being the sole winner of the Digital Broker of the Year Award by NGX in 2018, 4 years after launching the first ever online real-time stock trading platform in Nigeria in 2014,  to executing the single largest trade in the nearly 60-year history of the Nigerian Exchange in 2017, a feat that speaks to its operational strength and credibility. Today, that same quest and infrastructure powers Cowrywise’s democratised access to the stock market.

This partnership is another milestone in Meristem’s journey from a legacy stockbroker into a dynamic, investor-focused enabler of financial inclusion. By blending its heritage of trust with forward-looking innovation, Meristem ensures that every Nigerian can invest with confidence.

Cowrywise and Meristem’s partnership is more than just a technical integration; it’s a shared mission to rewrite the narrative of who gets to invest in Nigeria. Whether you’re a university student investing ₦5,000 or a seasoned professional diversifying your portfolio, the market is now within your reach.

What happens when an unstoppable force meets an unshakable foundation?
In this case, they join forces—to move the stock market forward.

Visit www.cowrywise.com/stocks, and be one of the first to purchase shares of up to 140 companies listed on the Nigerian Exchange via Cowrywise.

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