FG, SEC, Core International launch capital market quiz for schools

From Charity Nwakaudu, Abuja

The Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and Core International, has launched the Nigerian Capital Market – Secondary Schools Quiz Competition.

The national initiative, aimed at promoting financial literacy and enhancing understanding of capital markets among Nigeria’s youth, will involve 370 schools from across Nigeria, with a three-stage tournament format: state-level preliminaries, zonal semi-finals, and a national grand finale.

The event, supported by Financial Markets Indaba, a sister organisation of Core International, will see participating students access a Virtual Trading Platform that simulates real-time stock trading using the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) market data. The competition will run for six months, commencing in September 2025, and will involve 370 schools, 10 from each state of Nigeria and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

A statement issued on Wednesday, July 23, by the Director of Core International and Financial Markets Indaba, Patrick Muzondo, noted that teachers will undergo a dedicated training workshop to support student preparation and facilitate long-term curriculum integration of financial literacy.

According to the statement, “The quiz will equip Nigeria’s youth with essential financial knowledge and foundational decision-making skills and also foster a spirit of academic excellence, teamwork, and inclusivity among students.”

It added that the initiative will be hosted on the Financial Markets Indaba platform, which possesses experience in financial literacy initiatives and national engagement capabilities. This is also to promote financial literacy and enhance understanding of capital markets.

The statement further explained that the competition operates under the theme “Empowering Future Investors through Knowledge”, directly supporting the SEC’s mandate of investor protection and market development by nurturing a financially literate generation. It also aims to empower Nigeria’s youth with the knowledge and skills necessary to navigate the capital market and make informed financial decisions.