Do you have ₦10K to spare? Here are 5 Nigerian investment apps you may not know

Nigerians are looking for useful investment portfolios and platforms to preserve their hard-earned money in a macroeconomic environment currently witnessing one of its worst trends in the last decade based on useful economic indicators and indices.

Recently, the annual inflation rate in Nigeria accelerated for the second month to a near 17-1/2-year high of 21.91% in February 2023, from 21.82% in the prior month and surpassing market expectations of 21.85%, according to the central bank of Nigeria (CBN). Other indices like the exchange and poverty rates are also not encouraging, given the current purchasing power parity that Nigerians endure.

Overall, Nigerians are now looking to diversify their wealth to generate future useful returns that are not susceptible to the depreciation prevalent in the economy caused by the persistently increasing inflation rate. This is because they are becoming more cautious and pessimistic about what the future holds for their wealth and future earnings.

As a result of the rising need for investment platforms, reliable and efficient platforms have evolved and are now a regular part of the lives of most Nigerians. Apps like Bamboo, Piggyvest, Cowrywise, and others are just a few of the numerous investment platforms that have popped up over the years.

However, this article will outline other platforms not very popular in the tech industry that facilitate useful investments in sectors that are not conventional and provide returns for users who use the platforms.

5 investment platforms you probably don’t know

Pillow

Pillow Fund is a financial services company launched by Pillow Fund in Africa with the sole mission of providing Africans with a reliable way to save and grow their wealth.

The company now has a market presence in Africa’s largest economy, Nigeria, with various products and services that allow users to earn interest on their deposited funds while actively solving the increasing living costs.

Developed and offered by Pillow Fund, Pillow was launched in February 2022 to facilitate and simplify savings and investing by allowing users to save in dollar-based digital assets. The investment platform allows users to earn up to 14% interest on their savings.

Pillow encourages users to invest in USD-backed assets from the comfort of their homes. It is one of the few investment apps that pay out daily interest to the users. Apart from USD-backed cryptocurrency, users can invest in multiple blue-chip cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, Ethereum, etc. Users can withdraw whenever they please as interest on crypto investments. 

The app has been praised in Nigeria for its ease of use and user-friendly interface. Some users have even called it a “lifeline” in these difficult financial times. Pillow has also partnered with multiple experts and advisors in the Nigerian and the broader African ecosystem who can help provide valuable financial education.

Accrue

Accrue wants to make stocks and crypto accessible for the average person. Its goal is to lower obstacles and broaden access to all of the opportunities that cryptocurrencies offer to regular people. The app is available on the Google Play Store (4.0 ratings) and

With little risk and a higher chance of success, Accrue enables you to invest in the best-performing stocks and cryptocurrencies in an automated fashion. Users of this software can also use cryptocurrency investments to boost their wealth. Additionally, customers have the option of keeping track of stock prices, keeping tabs on the performance of their total investment portfolio, and adding desired items to wish lists to track the progress of those items.

You only need your email and a strong password to create a free account. You can begin an investment strategy by selecting the “Start investment” tab. The Homepage features a tab where you may verify your account by entering your account information and BVN to confirm your identity, prevent online fraud, and confirm you are the account owner.

Keble

While real estate is considered one of the best investments because of its low risk and favourable returns, many young Africans do not have the financial power to purchase or develop landed properties, a means to access the global real estate market, or the patience to reap the high rewards from such investments when they mature over time.

Keble enables users to seamlessly invest in global real estate opportunities for as low as 10 dollars. All you need to do is sign up and check out a list of properties to invest in and the duration for which the property would be held. You then purchase a fraction of any property you invest in and receive stable returns. That stable return is the asset’s value regarding its appreciation because that is how you make your returns.

You can invest as little as $10 as Keble reduces the barrier to becoming a real estate investor. Young graduates, undergraduates, low-earners, and small business owners can invest in real estate because Keble’s low barrier to entry gives everyone, particularly Africans to invest in a market that ordinarily they would not have access to.

Farm crowdy

With a business model that leverages technology to connect stakeholders with easy access to aggregate farm produce, inputs, and processed food, the global Agtech company is focused on solving inefficiencies in the food value chain.

Investors on Farmcrowdy receive bi-weekly updates for farm cycles which last six months or less and monthly updates for farm cycles exceeding six months. These updates comprise pictures, written reports, and videos showing the progress at different stages of the farm cycle.

Available on the web, the returns on investment on the platform range from a 6-25% flat rate. Its product listing includes maize, poultry farm, cassava, soybeans and rice. The range cost for these products ranges from N90,000-N284,000, and their life cycles range from 6-12 months.

Farmcrowdy also has a profit-sharing formula; 40% of the profit for the farmer, 40% for the farm sponsor, and 20% for Farm crowdy. The existing farm projects on this investment app are all insured. So that in the event of unforeseen circumstances, the sponsor’s capital can be refunded.

Microvest

Microvest savings and investment mobile app (launched 2021) enhances financial growth for its users by encouraging saving habits and reorganizing the obstacles Nigerians experience when attempting to save cash for capital projects. 

The Microvest app, available on the iOS App Store and the Google Play Store, is a savings platform that enables consumers to save and invest money wisely while receiving returns on investment. It offers several variants of savings products, allowing customers to choose their savings goals. 

Its MISAFE is a flexible savings feature where users can fund their wallets and create a plan. It allows withdrawals anytime and allows users to transfer funds to any bank account.

The MITARGET is a bit fixed as it helps users save towards a specific goal while they get rewarded for their discipline. Users can access the money at the targeted date. Withdrawals before the targeted date would attract a fee.

The company also provides a means of appreciating users’ continuous savings by offering competitive and valuable rewards through interest. According to the company, it is “important to put your savings to work.”

This content is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as investment, tax or legal advice. It is strongly recommended that every recipient seek appropriate independent professional advice before acting on any information contained herein, as Technext provides no endorsement, opinion or advice, including investment, tax or legal, and makes no representation or warranty about the suitability of a product for a particular reader or circumstance.