Nigerian millennials today are embracing some of the best investment apps in Nigeria. They opt for digital savings and investments using these investment apps over traditional bank savings.
Investing means putting money into financial schemes; shares, properties or commercial ventures with the expectation of gaining profit. When you invest, you are simply putting your money at risk to generate returns.
Investment apps have become even more popular today as they provide investment opportunities at your fingertips. These investment apps will let you save money automatically, which you can invest in securities, like stocks and bonds, and mutual funds without any stress. Whether you are a beginner investor or a professional, you can easily navigate these investment apps.
We have considered the top best investment apps in Nigeria using their popularity as raked by Business Insider Sub-Sharan Africa. We have considered:
- How these apps operate
- The interest rates they offer
- What devices they are available on
As a young adult eager to start investing, you can opt to use any of these best investment apps in Nigeria to take control of your investment and earnings.
We have also selected investment apps licenced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to guarantee the security of your investment.
Also, remember that there is risk involved when you trade insecurities, so be sure to understand the risks behind every investment before you make one.
Best Investment Apps in Nigeria
Without wasting any more time, let us consider the best investment apps in Nigeria:
1. Piggyvest
Launched in January 2016, PiggyVest started as a savings bank under the name ‘PiggyBank’. In 2019, the company rebranded and changed its name to PiggyVest.
Today, it has become a premier saving and investment app in Nigeria and West Africa as a whole. PiggyVest is a foremost savings app to give you financial freedom and also provides you with investment opportunities.
With PiggyVest, you earn interest and bonuses as you save and invest. The interest rate on savings ranges between 10% to 15.50%, and you could receive up to 25% as a return on investment.
The PiggyVest app has features which make saving and investing a lot easier for individuals. These features include:
- PiggyBank (8% per annum) – This is PiggyVest’s main savings option. It enables you to set up savings as a recurring transaction. For example, you can have PiggyVest remove a set amount from your bank account for Daily, Weekly, or Monthly savings.
- Flex Naira (8% per annum) – This operates like a traditional savings account. If you withdraw more than four times a month, you forfeit the interest for the month.
- Target Savings (8% per annum) – Allows you to save as you want to meet specific goals like your wedding, rent or vacation, school fee, or business. You can create a personal target or a Group savings challenge with your multiple users. For example, you and your siblings can have a target of buying your Mom a phone and use Target savings to organize.
- Flex Dollar Wallet (7% per annum) – This option allows you to fund your PiggyVest account internationally and conduct international transactions. Flex Dollar is funded with Naira, so if you want to protect your investment from exchange rate fluctuations, use FlexDollar. However, pay attention to the difference in buying and selling rates. Ideally, you want to liquidate when the deposit rate is either the same or higher than the withdrawal rate.
- SafeLock (6-13% per annum) – It enables you to lock your savings for a specific duration and receive up to 13% per annum. It works like government treasury bills; you get your interest up front, and the capital is locked until the maturity date.
- Investify (Up to 25% per annum) – You invest in secure, low-risk investment opportunities to earn more. Basically, these are agri-tech investments such as Agropatnerships but they are insured by Piggyvest, which means you will get lower rates than if you invest directly with the agri-tech firm but the risk of default is significantly lower.
The PiggyVest app is available for download on the Google play store and App store. You can also sign up through the website. On signing up, you would be required to provide your bank account for withdrawals and debit card information for savings.
Note: You will get N1000 when you signup for Piggyvest through our referral link. However, you must:
1. Link your BVN and fund your Flex Naira wallet with at least N100 via a direct bank transfer to your flex account number.
2. Fund any other two wallets with at least N1000 each. This could be Piggybank, Safelock, or Target savings wallet. Once all of these have been done, your referral bonuses will be unlocked and sent to your flex account at the maturity date.
2. CowryWise
CowryWise is another one of the best investment apps in Nigeria. It is a renowned saving and investing app operated by financial technology experts with over 20 years of experience.
The CowryWise app helps Nigerians save automatically and invest their savings, allowing them to obtain their financial dreams. Its interest rate starts from 10%, and you earn interest of up to 15% as well as bonuses using the CowryWise app.
Your CowryWise savings account allows you to invest in low to medium-risk investments like mutual funds, Nigeria Eurobond, and money market securities. You can choose to withdraw your savings at maturity or roll it over to earn compounding interest on investment.
The CowryWise app provides you with features to allow your savings:
- Regular savings- This savings feature allows you to automate your savings periodically. Life Goals – This feature allows you to save for long term goals.
- Halal Savings – This plan resembles regular savings, and is targeted at Muslims. The difference here is that interest is not paid on savings.
Signing up with CowryWise is easy as you can download the app from the Google play store or App store and also register using the website.
3. Rise Vest
Rise is the easiest way to make secure dollar-denominated investments in Nigeria. Rise Vest currently has 3 asset classes: Fixed Income, Real Estate, and US stock markets.
- Eurobonds (Fixed Income) is a fixed investment plan, which means you cannot withdraw your money until the investment matures. Current rates are 3% – 3 Months, 6% – 6 Months, 12% – 12 Months).
- Real Estate is a portfolio of rented real estate buildings across the US. Your money will be locked till maturity. Current rates are (3.75% – 3 Months, 7.5% – 6 Months, 15% – 12 Months).
- Stocks is a portfolio of 30 high-growth US stocks, including the stocks of popular companies like Google, Alibaba, and Facebook. The stocks plan means Risevest becomes your stock broker; they will decide on what stocks to buy, when to sell the stock, and everything else. The stocks plan is volatile, which means it depends on the performance of the portfolio; since I signed up for the stocks plan (Aug 11, 2020), it has made between -2.8% at its lowest to 11.13% as at the time of writing (Nov 11, 2020). On average the Rise Stock Portfolio averages returns between 12-14% per annum. Since the start of Rise vest till Nov 12, 2020), their stock portfolio has grown 28.6% YTD.
With the current exchange rate crisis in the country and the continuous devaluation of the Naira, Risevest is one of the best investment apps in the country. Personally, it is my best investment platform in the country at the moment. Other US Stock platforms in Nigeria include Bamboo, Chaka, and Trove. Although, on these platforms, you will buy, sell, and manage your stocks yourself.
Get Rise app and start investing today:
Note: You can use our code: 547R3MA when signing up for RiseVest; it helps keep this page alive.
4. Investment One
Investment One started in 2008 as an asset management company incorporated and licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission(SEC).
It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Bank PLC. The Investment One app gives you access to savings, private banking, and investment.
With the app, you can invest in top-rated business and financial services like Asset Management, Stockbroking, Trust and Pension Fund management, services, and earn variable interest rates from savings and investments.
You can sign up for Investment One by downloading the app on the android and iPhone play store or by registering on the website.
5. Afrinvest (Afrinvestor)
Afrinvest is next on our list of the best investment apps in Nigeria.
The Afrinvest app focuses on investment banking, trading in securities, assets management, and investment research in West African markets.
Owned by Afrinvest Securities Limited, Afrinvest operates as a dealing member with the Nigerian Stock Exchange. It is also regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission as a broker-dealer. The app gives you an easy way to invest in attaining financial freedom.
You can use this app to buy and sell shares or invest in fixed income securities. The app provides a live chat interface where you can share your thoughts, comments, or make a complaint. You can withdraw your investment by transferring funds to your bank account.
Some of Afrinvest plans include:
- POP
- Groove
- Classic
The Afrinvest app is available for download on the apple and android store, you can also sign up on their website.
6. I-Invest
This investment application lets you buy and trade securities and treasury instruments on your own. Working in partnership with Sterling Bank, I-Invest allows you to purchase investment without a stockbroker.
On this app platform, as of now, you can buy and sell treasury bills, Save money, and earn an interest rate that ranges between eight to eleven per cent.
The minimum savings amount for investment on I-Invest is one hundred thousand Naira. You can make a withdrawal from your account by transferring to the account you added when you were registering.
Download the I-Invest app through the apple or android play store. Alternatively, you can also sign up for I-Invest through its website.
7. PayDay Investor
The PayDay Investor app is another one of the best investment apps in Nigeria. It lets you earn interest on your investment according to the term of your savings.
The minimum starting amount is one thousand Naira, and you can save with your family or friends to reach a specific goal. You are allowed to add funds to your account using your debit card and withdraw money at any time.
They have account plans including:
- Goal-based investment
- One time investment
- Group Goal Investment
Download The PayDay Investor app on your apple or android device through your play store to register. You can also visit The PayDay Investor website to register and start making your investments.
8. Kolopay
Kolopay is another Nigerian investment app. The word “Kolo” in the Yoruba language means ‘Piggybank’. You can realize your saving goals gradually by using the app. With Kolopay, you earn 10% interest as you save money automatically.
Kolopay’s plans can be linked to saving goals you have set for your self. You can save for real estate, home furniture, laptops, vacation trips, motor vehicle, electronics, and mobile phones.
To save for these target goals, create a direct debit instruction with your bank to transfer that amount to your Kolopay savings account regularly.
Go the Kolopay website or your device play store to download the app. Next, create an account and pick a goal and begin to save to reach that goal, and keep growing your savings and earning interest.
9. Requid
Requid allows you to manage all your agri-tech investment portfolios on one platform, with the option of liquidating (selling) at any time you please. As with Piggyvest Investify, Requid reduces your risk as it carefully aggregates legitimate agri-tech operators, and unlike when you invest directly, you can liquidate your investments before its maturity if you purchase through Requid.
Requid offers the highest interest rates among all the above investment platforms in Nigeria but Agri-tech is still unregulated in Nigeria and thus, must be treated as a high-risk invetsment.
Conclusion
We have considered the best investment apps in Nigeria. These apps will help you save automatically and also invest your savings.
You can use the apps to keep tight control of your investment and for growing your portfolio. Start investing today by downloading any of these apps now. Your personal information is secure.
We have written on some of the top savings app in Nigeria that would make saving a lot easier for you.
This article was updated on the 21st of November, 2020. Risevest and Requid were added to the list. Piggyvest rates were updated to reflect the current rates.
For me piggy vest is the best