The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has marked out about 56 dealing-member firms as inactive, kick-starting the revocation of their licences and expulsion from the stock market.
The Nation had earlier reported exclusively the revocation and expulsion of 88 firms in the past five months.
The Nation’s check at the weekend indicated that nearly a quarter of of firms at the Exchange has been marked as inactive, a reference to dealing firms on the watch-list for delisting.
A breakdown of the status of dealing-member firms at the Exchange at the weekend showed that there were 197 active firms and 56 inactive. Already, a total of 163 firms have been expelled since capital market authorities began the weeding.
Under the Exchange rules, where a dealing member is inactive for six months, the Exchange shall revoke its licence.
“Under no circumstances shall a dealing member cease to carry out its day to day business activities for which it was licensed to operate without any reasonable cause,” according to the NSE’ rules.
A dealing member may be deemed inactive voluntarily and involuntarily. Voluntary if the firm has not recorded any trading without suspension by the Exchange or Stock exchange Commission (SEC). Involuntary inactivity occurs where the firm has been suspended by the NSE or SEC for infraction.
However, where a firm has been involuntarily inactive for six months, the Exchange can determine whether to revoke the firm’s dealing licence.
“Where the Exchange revokes a dealing member’s licence, the Exchange shall immediately commence the process of expelling such dealing member,” the rules stipulated.
Also, under the rules, suspension of any stockbroking firm by SEC will lead to immediate suspension by the NSE while revocation of any broker’s registration will lead to expulsion of the firm by the NSE.
“Without prejudice to all the remedies open to the dealing member, where a dealing member is suspended by the Commission, as soon as the Exchange is notified, it shall immediately commence the process of suspension or expulsion of the dealing member.
“Where a Dealing Member’s registration is revoked by the Commission, as soon as the Exchange is notified, it shall immediately commence the process of expulsion of the dealing member,” the rules stated.
The firms marked out as inactive included Adamawa Securities Limited, Aims Asset Management Limited, Arian Capital Management Limited, Bestlink Investment Limited, Bytofel Securities and Investment Limited, Cadington Securities Limited, CEB Securities Limited, Clearview Investments Company Limited, Covenant Securities and Asset Management Limited, Cradle Trust Finance and Securities Limited, ECL Asset Management Limited, Excel Securities Limited, Finbank Securities and Assets Management Limited, Gem Assets Management Limited, GMT Securities and Asset Mangement Limited, Gombe Securities Limited, Horizon Stockbrokers Limited, International Standard Securities Limited, Investment Shark and Asset Mgt Ltd, ITIS Securities Limited, Kakawa Asset Management Limited, LB Securities Limited, Lion Stockbrokers Limited, LMB Stockbrokers Limited, Mact Securities Limited, Mainland Trust Limited, Marimpex Finance and Investment Company Limited, Maven Asset Management Limited, Mercov Securities Limited, Midpoint Capital Limited, ML Securities Limited, Monument Sec and Finance Limited, Mutual Alliance Investment and Securities Limited and Northbridge Investment and Trust Limited.
Others were Options Securities Limited, Partnership Securities Limited, Perfecta Investment and Trust Limited, PML Securities Company Limited, Professional Stockbrokers Limited, Profund Securities Limited, Redasel Investments Limited, Resano Securities Limited, Resort Securities and Trust Limited, Shalom Investment and Financial Services Limited, Stanwal Securities Limited, Summa Guaranty and Trust Company Limited, Supra Commercial Trust Company Limited, Surport Services Limited, Tower Asset Management Limited, Transafrica Financial Services Limited, and UIDC Securities Limited.
