MARKET NEWS

Investor appetite for stability continues to define Nigeria’s mutual fund landscape, with capital steadily flowing into instruments that offer safety and consistent returns.

In recent months, this trend has become even more pronounced as investors continue to reposition portfolios in response to persistently high yields on short-term instruments.

At the center of this shift are money market funds, which have maintained their appeal as a reliable option for both new and experienced investors.

Money market funds are low-risk, open-ended investment vehicles designed to provide capital preservation and steady income through investments in high-quality short-term instruments.

The top-performing mutual funds recorded a YTD yield between 17%-20%. This reflects the performance of the underlying asset yields, which moderated. While the Nigerian treasury bill has moderated around 16% and OMO bills have steadied around 19%, commercial papers are as high as 20-22%.

A new fund named Alpha10 Money Market Fund, managed by Alpha10 Fund Management Limited, recently registered with the SEC, was added in March with 147 unitholders and N1.77 billion.

According to data compiled by the Nairametrics Research team from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), as of 27th March 2026, the segment had grown to 46 funds managing a combined N5.46 trillion net asset value (NAV), representing 64.90% of total mutual fund assets.

This strong positioning reflects a broader strategy among investors to remain liquid while still capturing competitive yields from short-term securities.

11. What the data is saying 

Beyond their asset size, money market funds continue to attract a broad investor base across retail and institutional segments.

• Data indicates that the category now serves 702,711 unitholders, an additional 30,997 unitholders or a 4.61% increase from February, reinforcing its role as a key entry point into Nigeria’s capital market.
• Despite the size of the segment, the top 10 performing money market funds collectively manage N145.42 billion, representing just 2.67% of the total money market fund assets and 1.68% of the overall mutual fund industry.