On May 11, 1976, Financial Trust Company limited started out as one of Nigeria’s pioneer indeginous stock broking firm in the country. At the time, Nigeria’s capital market—then known as the Lagos Stock Exchange—was largely dominated by foreign institutions, with very limited indigenous participation.
Fifty years after, Financial Trust Company is celebrating its Golden Jubilee, announcing plans for a series of anniversary activities that will culminate in a grand ceremony scheduled for May 14, 2026.
Speaking at a landmark press conference in Lagos, the Group Managing Director of Financial Trust Company, Dr. Niyi Ajayi, unveiled the company’s 50th anniversary programe, highlighting the organisation’s resilience, integrity, and innovation over five decades in Nigeria’s capital market.
Dr. Ajayi described the company’s ability to survive and grow through several economic cycles—including the oil boom and bust era, the Structural Adjustment Programme, the 2008 global financial crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic—as evidence of the strength, adaptability, and sustainability of indigenous financial institutions in Nigeria.
He noted that Financial Trust Company has evolved from a traditional stockbroking outfit into a diversified financial services institution, with investment banking operations now operating under FT_Nex Rubica. According to him, the anniversary theme, “Resilience, Integrity, and Innovation,” reflects both the company’s enduring values and its vision for the future.
As part of the Golden Jubilee celebrations, the company will host an industry symposium expected to bring together regulators, policymakers, investors, and market operators to discuss the future of Nigeria’s capital market, retail investor participation, technology-driven growth, and regulatory reforms.
Dr. Ajayi also disclosed the company’s long-term ambition to become a leading pan-African financial services group, driven by technology investments, strategic partnerships, and a commitment to expanding financial inclusion and retail investor participation across Africa.
