CIIA was duly registered by the Securities and Exchange Commission “SEC” on the 20th of April 2018 as the sole recognized Trade Group for all registered Corporate and Individual Investment Advisers in the Nigerian capital market. The body is also responsible for maintaining professionalism and discipline within its rank and file through the administration of its practice Code of Ethics and Standards of Professional Conduct for all its members. This development is coming on the heels of the commitment of the commission to working closely with, and through Industry Trade Groups as representatives of market operators in their respective areas of specialization in order to ensure overall market probity and to uphold investor trust.
The primary objective of CIIA is the protection of investor interests and we believe the elevation of the quality and profile of the investment advisory industry, the institutionalisation of the highest standards of professional practice, elimination of conflicts and agency abuses in the market and overall discipline will bring about this much-desired result. CIIA will adopt ethical norms to guide professional services in compliance with the age-old principle of fiduciary care, requiring professionals to serve the best interest of their clients at all times – Investors in this case. These will ultimately restore the confidence of investors and create a stronger, more viable and healthy financial market as well as an industry for all professional investment advisers to thrive.
In driving the foregoing core objectives, CIIA as a trade group will drive the ideology of fiducial responsibility to the client-investor, by launching the five (5) pillars of its “STEPS” initiative. By this, CIIA will, in the not-too-distant future, lead registered investment advisers to achieve and live by the following key principles: