Ogbechie, Rewane task investors on real assets

Renowned business figures, Dr Gabriel Ogbechie and Bismarck Rewane, urged investors in Nigeria to pivot their investment strategies towards tangible assets, strong risk management, and personal integrity. At the Cordros Wealth Summit 2026, held in Lagos, industry leaders and analysts discussed traditional wealth metrics, advocating for a shift from financial balance sheets to real assets and scalable businesses that build intergenerational prosperity.

Ogbechie, the Founder and Group Executive Chairman of Rainoil Limited, emphasized that paper currency is merely an economic tool while sustainable wealth is built on physical assets, strong businesses, character, and social networks. He pointed out that equity market expansion from N4.5tn to N163.68tn in recent years, and highlighted Ikoyi real estate values rising from N30,000 per square meter to multi-million naira benchmarks.

In analyzing Nigeria's macroeconomic situation, Rewane, CEO of Financial Derivatives Company, noted that global geopolitical tensions are affecting social science outcomes but that Nigeria's internal metrics are gradually stabilising. He projected that inflation dynamics will become more predictable and exchange rates less destructive.

Rewane suggested that lowering interest rates below 20 per cent would boost private sector expansion. Cordros Capital Limited's CEO, Wale Agbeyangi, discussed the firm's growth from a stockbroking firm to a financial services group offering diverse wealth creation services. Cordros Asset Management's Managing Director, Gbolahan Aina, emphasized the projected $30tn global wealth pool by 2030 and how retail investors could protect against inflation through structured mutual funds and equities.

Panel discussions covered portfolio diversification, succession planning, and intergenerational wealth transfer, with Founder and CEO of Bestman Games Limited, Ambassador Nimi Akinkugbe warning against transferring wealth without capability. The Nigerian Exchange CEO, Jude Chiemeka, concluded by outlining available equity, fixed income, and derivative products, encouraging investors to continually evaluate their risk profiles.