Nigeria's investment landscape witnessed a significant development as CFG Africa unveiled a major new financial instrument aimed at ethically-minded investors. The launch formed the centrepiece of the CFG Africa Client Engagement Forum 2025, held at The Wheatbaker Hotel in Ikoyi, Lagos, on Friday, November 21.
A Call for Policy Shift to Unlock Economic Growth
The forum, themed “2026 in Focus—Opportunities for growth, navigating uncharted terrains,” brought together strategic investors and sector leaders. A dominant message emerged: the urgent need for a decisive policy shift to stimulate Nigeria's real economy and a strategic response to market risks.
Delivering the keynote address, Prof. Bongo Adi, Professor of Economics and Data Analytics at the Lagos Business School, provided a critical analysis. He anchored his speech on the necessity of aligning fiscal and monetary policy to unlock genuine growth. Prof. Adi argued that current high interest rates are stifling the positive impacts of recent structural reforms, especially on job creation.
“The manufacturing sector, a major employer, would rebound significantly if interest rates come down,” he stated. He urged the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to reconsider the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), noting that “a downward review of the MPR would introduce stability in the equity market.”
Launch of the N1 Billion CFG Ethical Fund
The most concrete outcome of the event was the official launch of the CFG Ethical Fund. This is a ₦1,000,000,000 (One Billion Naira) actively managed, open-ended unit trust. The fund offers units at an initial price of N1,000 per unit.
The fund is structured with a consortium of reputable firms ensuring governance and compliance:
- Fund Manager: CFG Asset Management Limited
- Trustee: AVA Trustees Limited
- Sharia Adviser: One17 Capital
- Custodian: Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited (RMBN)
- Registrar: Cardinal Stone Registrars Limited
The CFG Ethical Fund aims to deliver consistent income by investing in carefully selected Sukuk and other Sharia-compliant instruments. It strictly adheres to ethical principles and Islamic finance law, avoiding interest-based transactions and prohibited sectors. The strategy provides balanced exposure across diverse ethical assets to reduce risk and enhance portfolio stability.
Expert Strategy and Client-Centric Vision
During an expert panel session, analysts provided actionable intelligence for the coming year. They advised strategic investors to monitor the US yield curve as a key indicator of global recession risk. The consensus was that aggressive diversification and the use of professionally managed funds are essential strategies for 2026.
Babajide Lawani, Group Managing Director and CEO of CFG Africa, emphasized the firm's commitment to a client-centric approach. He stated that their strategy for delivering competitive returns is “anchored around risk management driven by thorough research.” He highlighted CFG's advisory role in supporting large-scale enterprise growth across critical sectors like real estate, capital raising, healthcare, and defence.
The event featured key industry figures including Kunle Adeoba (DMD, CFG Africa), Adedoyin Wilson-Diamond (Group Chief Investment Officer), Zarah Salman (Non-Interest Lead), and partners from Trust Arthur, George Utomi, and CardinalStone Registrars.
CFG Africa operates as an investment bank with subsidiaries—CFG Asset Management, CFG Maynard, and CFG Africa Trustees—working as an integrated platform. Guided by a “safety before profit” philosophy, the group prioritizes capital preservation through investments in secured instruments like government securities and high-grade commercial papers.
