THE STRUCTURE OF THE NIGERIAN CAPITAL MARKET AND ITS IMPACT ON ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1   Background to the Study

The Nigerian capital market is a part of the Nigeria financial system. The Nigeria financial system has been the life wire on which the Nigeria economy pilots its macro-economy variables. For any economy to be able to take care of her responsibilities i.e. the citizen adequately, it must have a very strong financial system.

The financial system refers to a set of rules, regulations, aggregation of financial arrangements, institutions and rest of the world to increase economic growth and development of nation. It does this by providing a medium of exchange which promotes specialization, mobilization of facings from the surplus units and channeling into the deficit units of the economy for productive capacity and over all output and employment (Akinsulire, 2011).

The Nigerian financial system has evolved over the last few decades from a rudimentary to a more sophisticated one with numerous institutions and operators that facilitate the performance of the primary role of the system savings, mobilization and allocation of resources among competition units within the system.

The Nigerian financial system comprises of several financial institutions, instrument and operators. The financial system regulators include the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Federal Ministry of Finance (FMF) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), these are the major regulating agencies in Nigeria. Others are Commercial Banks, Development Banks, such as Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria (FMBN), the Nigeria Bank of Industry (BOI), the Nigeria Agriculture and Co-operative Bank (NACB), the Nigeria Industrial Development Bank (NIDB) and specialized banks. Other institutions and funds include the National Pension Commission (PENCOM), insurance companies, the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUN) finance houses, Bureau De Change and the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC). This in terms of number and variety, the Nigeria financial system is quite robust.

From the information, it can be seen that the financial system is the tool a nation uses in raising funds.

The aim of this research work is therefore to bring to light the ways the capital market operate by analyzing the importance of corporate capital to the economy of Nigeria.

1.2   Statement of Problem

The problem of this research work is to analyze how the capital market operates and also its impact on the economic development of Nigeria.

However, the following problems were also identified by the researcher during the course of the study and there include: unavailability of literature covering the Nigeria capital market and corporate securities, public ignorance of the existence and benefit of the Nigerian stock exchange, stressing on the effect of this ignorance as far as loss of Investment opportunity as well as understanding the mechanism, structure and rating of the capital market of Nigeria economy.

1.3   Research Questions

This research work was guided by the following research questions:

1.     Does the capital market provide enough funds for economic development?

2.     Does the capital market have any significant impact on the masses?

3.     How can the capital market role stimulate economic growth in Nigeria?         

1.4   Objectives of the Study

The purpose or objectives of this research are:

·                    To ascertain if capital market provides enough funds for economic development.

·                    To find out if the capital market have any significant impact on the masses.

·                    To find out how capital market role stimulate economic growth in Nigeria.

1.5   Statement of Hypotheses

For the purpose of this study, the following hypothesis will be tested and sued in analyzing data. Firstly, there are two types of hypothesis:

Hypothesis One

HO:   The capital market does not provide enough funds for economic development.

HI:    The capital market provides enough funds for economic development.

Hypothesis Two

HO:   Capital market does not have impact on the masses.

HI:    Capital market has impact on the masses.

1.6   Significance of the Study

The environment in which the stock market operates is very complex and not static; the social economic arch will therefore aid the understanding of the position of the stock exchange in the capital information accumulation, allocation and transfer to sounds as it adjusts to the ever changing society. Also, the careful examination of the operation and structure of the capital market will lead to public awareness and hence, alleviate the companies and the public for investment motive will change. The NSE is institutions which help businesses to raise funds for economic growth i.e. spending on schools, roads or other public services, to mobilize long term funds. 

1.7   Scope of the Study

The scope of this research is to look into operations of the capital market through the stock exchange floors in Nigeria. But for the purpose of this research, due to the various constrains as elucidated by the researcher. Only the Lagos floor of the Nigeria stock exchange was covered. The researcher did not make any attempt to study other stock exchange floors in other states and it is between the time ranges of 2009 – 2013.

For the course of this study, the researcher used a sample size of 120 for effective survey.

1.8   Limitations of the Study

The study is faced with some constraints which may likely affect the generalization of findings, the constraints include the following:

·                    The compilation of information used for the preparation of these work has not been easy. One of such problem is the refusal of some staff having the fear that they might be dismissed if they disclose any information regarding their work.

·                    Problem of sourcing for material: The research was faced with problems of getting current materials, textbooks, journals, seminar papers in relation with this research topic. The University of Benin library are outdated for this research work.

1.9   Definitions of Terms

·                    Above per value: This is where a share is being sold above its normal value.

·                    Allotment: The amount of share given to a prospective investor.

·                    Asked price: The amount which the firm wants its shares to be sold.

·                    Bear: An investor who believes that the market prices are going to go down.

·                    Broker: A broker is a dealing member of the stock exchange. He provides services to anyone (an investor) who want to buy and sell shares.

·                    Bonds: A kind of security traded on the stock exchange

·                    Bull: Investor who believes that the market prices are going to go up.

·                    Stag: Investor who want to make profit from new issues of shares. He buys the shares before they are listed, then he sell them at a higher price soon after they are listed.

·                    Profit earning ratio: This of a share dividend by earning for a share for a 12 months period.

·                    Share: A lenity of ownership that represents an equal proportion of a company’s capital.

·                    Dividend: Is that share of a company’s profit that is given to its share holders. Dividend is not a fixed amount. It does not always remain same.