Picture this: your kid turns 18, and instead of just asking for a car or JAMB form money, they casually say, “Mum, I think it’s time I diversify my portfolio.”
Big flex! Think about that for a bit.
Let’s break it down: If you can buy toys, Happy Meals, and annual Christmas clothes for your child, you can buy them a future. And one of the easiest ways to do that is by investing in stocks on their behalf.
Why Start Early?
Because time is the secret sauce.
The stock market rewards patience. The earlier you start, the more magic compound interest can perform. A few thousand naira today, invested smartly, can multiply into millions by the time your child becomes a legal adult.
Let’s say you invest ₦10,000 monthly from birth in stocks with an average 12% annual return. By age 18, they could be sitting on over ₦7 million. That’s not pocket money, that’s options.
No, You Don’t Have to Be a Stock Expert
This isn’t about turning your child into the next stock analyst in pampers. You can start simple:
Invest in familiar companies (banks, FMCGs, telcos)
Use child-focused investment accounts or custodial portfolios
Buy index funds or mutual funds with exposure to stocks
At ARM Securities, we have made this ridiculously easy. You can now set up child investment accounts that you control until they’re old enough.
Benefits Beyond Money
You’re not just setting them up financially. You’re teaching:
Delayed gratification
How money grows
Financial literacy
Ownership mindset
Imagine your child knowing the difference between a liability and an asset before entering university. That’s game-changing.
What Could This Money Do at 18?
Fund their university education
Kickstart a business
Buy their first car
Pay for a global certification or degree
Invest even further
You’re giving them a launchpad instead of starting from scratch. And in a country where most young people hustle just to break even, that’s a superpower.
Bottomline:
Every birthday party you throw, every toy you buy, every pack of diapers you buy, they’re all short-term. But one stock, one monthly commitment, can build long-term wealth.
So the next time you think of what to give your child, ask yourself: “What if I gave them shares instead of sweets?”
To get started, download the ARM One app to start or email us buying the stocks of your favorite Nigerian companies.
You can also reach us at armseccustomerservice@arm.com.ng.
