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Key people at Afrinvest West Africa.
Afrinvest West Africa is a capital market holding company based in Lagos, Nigeria, that provides investment banking, securities trading, asset management, and trustee services to individuals and institutional clients across Sub-Saharan Africa. The financial services firm operates with a workforce of over 150 professionals and manages a portfolio of more than 20 distinct financial products. In 2022, the organization restructured into a holding company and launched Optimus by Afrinvest, a digital wealth management application, before successfully redeeming a ₦12.19 billion commercial paper in July 2024. The firm's leadership and notable alumni include prominent regional financial figures such as Group Managing Director Ike Chioke, Deputy Managing Director Victor Ndukauba, and former executives Haruna Jalo-Waziri and Jude Chiemeka. Afrinvest West Africa was originally founded as Securities Transaction and Trust Company in 1995 by Godwin Obaseki and Ike Chioke.
Key people at Afrinvest West Africa.
Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited is a Nigerian capital markets holding company focused on West Africa, providing integrated financial services through six subsidiaries: Afrinvest Asset Management Limited (asset management), Afrinvest Capital Limited (investment banking), Afrinvest Consulting Limited (consulting), Afrinvest Securities Limited (securities trading), Afrinvest Trustees Limited (trust services), and Andromeda Technology Solutions Limited (technology).[1][4][5] Its mission centers on simplifying wealth creation and preservation for individuals, corporations, high-net-worth individuals (HNIs), and governments via investment banking, securities trading, asset management, research, and advisory on mergers & acquisitions (M&A) and capital markets.[3][4][6] The firm's investment philosophy emphasizes professional, discreet financial advisory with a track record in pioneering transactions like Nigeria's first dollar-denominated fixed income fund, first global depository receipts by a Sub-Saharan African corporate (United Bank for Africa), and first Eurobond by a non-South African Sub-Saharan corporate (Guaranty Trust Bank).[4] Key sectors include capital markets, investment banking, asset management, private equity, fixed income, and financial technology, with a strong footprint in Nigeria's startup and broader financial ecosystem through capital raising and research.[1][3][4]
Headquartered in Ikoyi, Lagos, with offices in Abuja, Onitsha, Port Harcourt, and Kano, Afrinvest generates around $23.3 million in annual revenue and employs about 163-201 people, positioning it as a leader in Nigeria's financial services amid growing demand for local wealth management and international capital access.[2][3][6]
Afrinvest traces its roots to 1995, founded by Godwin Obaseki as Securities Transactions & Trust Company (Nigeria) Limited (SecTrust), initially focusing on research, brokerage, and asset management.[1][4][5] SecTrust built a close partnership with London-based Afrinvest (UK) Limited, an investment banking firm regulated by the UK Financial Services Authority.[1][4] In 2005, following a major business restructuring, SecTrust merged with the Nigerian corporate finance operations of Afrinvest (UK) to form Afrinvest (West Africa) Limited, enhancing its international identity and capabilities.[1][4][5] This evolution shifted it from an operating firm to a non-operating holding company overseeing specialized subsidiaries, regulated by Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as an issuing house and underwriter.[1][4] Key leadership includes Managing Director Ike Chioke, steering its growth into a multifaceted capital markets player.[3]
Afrinvest rides the wave of West Africa's burgeoning capital markets and fintech boom, capitalizing on Nigeria's young population, rising HNIs, and demand for alternative investments amid economic diversification from oil.[3][4][6] Timing aligns with post-2005 restructuring enabling it to bridge local markets with international capital, as seen in Eurobond and depository receipt innovations that opened Sub-Saharan firms to global investors.[4] Favorable market forces include regulatory support from Nigeria's SEC, growing private equity/venture needs in startups, and digital transformation via its tech subsidiary, influencing the ecosystem by funding high-growth sectors, providing market research, and enabling easier access to stocks, bonds, and funds for retail and institutional players.[1][3][6] It shapes Nigeria's startup scene indirectly through capital raising for tech-enabled firms and advisory, fostering a more inclusive wealth creation environment in a region where financial inclusion lags.[6]
Afrinvest is poised for expansion amid Nigeria's projected GDP growth and fintech surge, likely deepening tech integrations via Andromeda and launching more hybrid products blending local assets with global opportunities.[3][6] Trends like digital securities trading, sustainable finance, and pan-African capital flows will propel it, potentially growing revenue beyond $23.3 million through subsidiary synergies and new offices.[3] Its influence may evolve from deal pioneer to ecosystem enabler, empowering startups and HNIs in West Africa's financial democratization—reinforcing its core mission of making opportunity accessible beyond the elite.[6]
