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Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments: What’s the Best Choice for Genuine Returns?

Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments

 

 

In the dynamic world of personal finance, Nigerians often face the dilemma of choosing Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments. Both options have unique benefits and risks, but making the right decision is crucial for financial security. With economic uncertainties and fluctuating markets, understanding these investment strategies can be the difference between success and setbacks.

 

This article provides actionable advice, financial updates, and insights to help you make informed investment decisions when choosing Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments.

 

What Are Mutual Funds?

 

Mutual funds pool money from multiple investors to buy a diversified portfolio of stocks, bonds, or other assets. They are professionally managed by asset management companies in Lagos, such as FSDH Asset Management, which specializes in funds management and portfolio management services in Nigeria.

 

The key advantage of mutual funds is diversification. By investing in various asset classes, mutual funds reduce the risk of significant losses. For example, if one stock under performs, gains from others can offset the impact.

 

Mutual funds also benefit from expert fund managers who monitor market trends and allocate funds strategically. This ensures that your investments are optimized for better returns over time.

 

What Are Personal Investments?

 

Personal investments involve directly buying and managing assets, such as stocks, real estate, or cryptocurrencies, without intermediaries. This strategy allows investors to have full control over their portfolios and decision-making.

 

For those who are financially literate and have the time to monitor markets, personal investments can yield impressive returns on investment (ROI). However, the absence of professional management makes this option risky, especially for beginners.

 

Personal investments also demand a deep understanding of budgeting, market analysis, and portfolio diversification. Without these skills, investors risk substantial losses.

Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments: Key Differences

 

  1. Professional Management vs. Self-Management

Mutual funds are managed by financial experts from firms like FSDH Asset Management, while personal investments require self-management.

  1. Diversification vs. Concentration

Mutual funds diversify across multiple assets, reducing risk. Personal investments may focus on fewer assets, increasing volatility.

  1. Accessibility

Mutual funds are ideal for beginners or those with limited knowledge of financial markets. Personal investments require experience and financial literacy.

  1. Costs and Fees

Mutual funds have management fees but offer convenience and expertise. Personal investments avoid fees but demand time and effort.

 

Why Nigerians Choose Mutual Funds

 

Mutual funds are increasingly popular in Nigeria due to their ease of use and consistent returns. With platforms like FSDH’s investment app, investors can start small and grow their wealth over time.

 

Mutual funds also align with the financial goals of Nigerians seeking financial freedom and financial security. Whether you’re saving for retirement or building an emergency fund, mutual funds offer reliable options.

 

The Risks of Investing

 

Both mutual funds vs. personal investments carry risks. Understanding these risks is essential for informed decision-making:

 

  • Market Volatility: Both options are affected by market fluctuations, impacting returns.
  • Inflation Risk: Inflation can erode the real value of your investment over time.
  • Liquidity Risk: Some personal investments, like real estate, are harder to liquidate when needed.

 

By partnering with a trusted financial advisory firm in Nigeria, such as FSDH Asset Management, you can mitigate these risks.

 

Practical Tips for Nigerian Investors

 

  1. Set Clear Goals

Define your financial objectives before choosing between mutual funds vs. personal investments.

  1. Diversify Your Portfolio

Spread your investments across various asset classes to reduce risks.

  1. Leverage Professional Expertise

Work with a reputable funds management company like FSDH Asset Management for expert advice and tailored solutions.

  1. Monitor Market Trends

Stay informed about market developments to make timely decisions.

  1. Start Small, Stay Consistent

Whether using an investment app or other platforms, invest regularly to grow your wealth over time.

Why FSDH Asset Management Stands Out

 

FSDH Asset Management, one of the leading portfolio management services in Nigeria, provides personalized investment solutions tailored to your financial needs. With decades of expertise and cutting-edge tools, they help Nigerians achieve their financial dreams.

 

From offering diversified mutual funds to providing comprehensive financial advisory services, FSDH is committed to delivering value and trust. Their innovative investment platform ensures seamless access to top-tier financial products and expert guidance.

 

Conclusion

 

Choosing between Mutual Funds vs. Personal Investments depends on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and expertise. For beginners or those seeking professional support, mutual funds offer a convenient and reliable option.

 

By partnering with trusted institutions like FSDH Asset Management, you can achieve long-term financial freedom and security.

 

Partner with FSDH Asset Management – Grow Your Wealth Strategically with FSDH’s Expert Investment Solutions. Contact us today at [email protected], 0201 700 8900, or visit https://www.fsdhaml.com/ to learn more.

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Head, Internal Control

Paul Babatunde

BACKGROUND

Paul Babatunde is the Head of Internal Control at FSDH Asset Management Ltd. He has over 15 years of experience in the financial services industry. He began his career in 2008 as a Credit Processing Officer with the United Bank for Africa PIc. He later served as the team lead for Group Shared Services Helodesk and further moved through the ranks, serving in other capacities such as Fund Transfers, Payment Investigations Lead e.t.c. He joined Coronation Merchant Bank in 2016 as an Internal Control Officer and was later drafted to the Internal Audit division as a team lead in 2017, a position which he held until July 2019 when he joined Anchoria Asset Management Ltd as the Head – Compliance, Risk Management and Internal Control. He proceeded to Core Financial Group in 2020, where he served in the capacity of Group Head – Risk Management, Compliance and Internal Control, overseeing the activities of the Stock-broking, Asset management and DC subsidiaries of the group. Paul is a sponsored individual of the Securities and Exchange Commishion and holds a Bs in Accounting from the Lagos State University as well as the ISO 27001:2013 Lead Auditor certification as issued by the British Standards Institute.

Paul is a great achiever having led and delivered remarkably in his roles in the banking industry and capital markets. He has uncovered and resolved salient issues in his capacity within the Compliance, Risk Management and Internal Audit functions. He has also implemented several initiatives on process improvement, controls enhancement and risk management across various financial services institutions.

Individual Account
Corporate Account

Head, Compliance

Adedayo Bello

BACKGROUND

Adedayo joined FSDH Asset Management team in 2021 as the Chief Compliance officer, where he coordinates all the regulatory and statutory Compliance of the Company. Prior to joining FSDH Asset Management Limited, he has worked with notable Financial Institutions within the Capital market.

He is a finance professional with over 15 years of experience in Investment Banking. He was Head Compliance at AIICO Capital Limited, and equally functioned as Internal Control Officer, Acting Team Lead, Investment/Treasury Operations, and member of a Reconciliation Team in the same organization.

He commenced his Financial Institution journey/career at United Capital Securities Limited, a subsidiary of United Capital PLC (Formerly UBA Capital) where he worked in various units like Operations, Reconciliation & Resolutions, and Business Development departments.

Adedayo holds a B.Sc. in Geology from University of Ado-Ekiti and Masters’ degree in Exploration Geophysics from Federal University of Technology, Akure. He is an accredited Compliance Officer with the Securities and Exchange Commission as Sponsored Individual.

Head, Operations

Chinedu Nnadi

BACKGROUND

Chinedu Nnadi holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Statistics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State. He is currently running his Post-Graduate Diploma in the University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba, Lagos.

Chinedu is an Operations Specialist spanning over 17 (seventeen) years beginning from Union Systems Limited where he worked as the Systems Support/Analyst before joining the Operations Unit of Asset & Resource Management Co. Ltd (ARM Investment Managers). His time at ARM was one in which he was a key member of the Operations Unit where he was involved in organization-wide process improvement with his involvement in the Business Process Review (BPR) which identified inefficiencies and proposed improvements that led to timely execution of Strategic and Tactical transformation. This review greatly impacted on process efficiency, overall organizational effectiveness through transformation of resources, migration and adoption of relevant Information Technology tools for Operational efficiency.

He later joined Nova Asset Management Limited (NOVAMBL) as the Team Lead, Capital Market Operations where He was responsible for setting up of the Operations unit from the onset, from there, he joined FSDH Asset Management Limited where he currently sits as the Head of Operations.

Chinedu is vastly skilled and knowledgeable in the Nigerian Asset Management Operations and Regulations. Business Optimization, Process automation and Transaction processing, systems re-engineering. He is a driver of technology and operational initiatives.

He is happily married and has undergone professional trainings on Personal Improvements, Systems and Process Improvements, Financial Market Fundamentals.

Chief Investment Officer

Taofik Oyeniyi

BACKGROUND

Taofik Oyeniyi is the Chief Investment Officer at FSDH Asset Management Limited. He has over two and half decades of experience in the financial services industry across Treasury/Money market activities, Funds management, Balance Sheet and Liquidity Management, Business Development, Credit Analysis, and Structuring.

He started his Banking career in 1997 as an Executive Trainee at Equity Bank after a brief stint as an investment Officer at Compass Finance and Investment. He grew to the position of Chief Dealer before joining Intercontinental Bank as a Regional Head of Treasury in the Treasury and Investment Banking Division. In 2005. He joined Skye High Financial Services in 2010 as an Executive Partner and Division Head of Treasury and Funds Management. He worked in this capacity up until joining TAJ Bank as the Treasurer and Divisional Head of Treasury and Investment in 2019. He joined Radix Pension Managers in 2021 as the Divisional Head of Investment and Treasury.  He was responsible at Radix for formulating the overall Investment strategy for all funds managed, supervising Portfolio Managers in various investment activities, and ensuring funds are invested in line with asset allocation.

Taofik is a graduate of Business Administration and a holder of   MBA (Finance Major) degree from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife. He is a Chartered Accountant (ACA), an Associate Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), and a CFA Chartered Holder.

Chief Financial Officer

Funmi Olutebo

BACKGROUND

Funmilayo Oletubo is a finance professional with years of experience in business strategy, financial and performance management, liquidity management, operations control, risk management, taxation, project management and process optimization.

She is the Chief Financial Officer at FSDH Asset Management Limited “FSDH AM’”, where she acts as a strategic business partner for creating value and executing the firm’s financial strategies.

Before joining FSDH AM, Funmilayo started her career with Integrated Software Services Limited where she gained extensive knowledge for driving the efficiency of business with technology and financial solutions. She shortly after joined Chapel Hill Denham as an Investment Officer where she rose through the ranks to become an Assistant Vice President, finance and operations supporting the Investment Management, Securities Trading, Investment Banking and Trusteeship businesses. She was responsible for coordinating several responsibilities as: budget preparation, financial reporting and analysis, consolidated financial reporting, external audit liaison, management performance reviews, regulatory reporting, automation and system enhancement, asset and liability management, alternative fund accounting, investment accounting, standard operating policy development and compliance with the International Financial Reporting Standards {IFRS}.

She holds a BSc in Applied Accounting and Accounting from Oxford Brookes University, Glasgow, United Kingdom and Babcock University, Ilishan Remo, Nigeria respectively. She is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA), Member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN).

She is happily married, passionate about socio-economic development and runs an NGO aimed at supporting the less privileged.

Head, Sales, FSDH Asset Management

Margaret Agbonlahor

BACKGROUND

Margaret joined the FSDH Asset Management team in 2020 as the Head of Sales, where she drives the various market segments; HNIs, Institutions and Retail. She has over 20 years of banking experience, with expertise in Sales, Business Development, Marketing and Portfolio Management. She is also an approved Corporate Client adviser. Before she joined FSDH, Margaret was a Team Lead for Core Banking Finacle Software Application change at Infosys, Bangalore India. She has garnered a deep understanding of the Fixed Income, Money Market and Equities Market, and attended several courses on Wealth and Portfolio Management. She holds a BSc. in Business Administration from the University of Benin and an MBA from the University of Lagos.

Non-Executive Director, FSDH Asset Management

Nike Ogunjimi

BACKGROUND

Nike is a finance professional with over 18 years of experience in investment management, financial advisory and commercial banking.

Over the span of her career, she has worked at several leading firms in the Nigeria financial services industry. She is currently a Director at Kuramo Capital Management where she focuses on investment management and investor relations activities. Prior to Kuramo, Nike was part of the Client Solutions team at Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria and provided financial advisory solutions to the bank’s local blue-chip clients.

She also worked at Afrinvest Limited and, as a senior member of the Investment Banking team, she led the execution of numerous headline M&A mandates for notable Nigerian companies. She was a member of the firm’s Management Team and had oversight responsibility for the Finance unit, alongside her investment banking duties.

Nike has also worked at ARM Investment Managers where, as part of the Investment Management team, she was responsible for covering various sectors on the Nigerian Stock Exchange as well as international financial markets. She holds a BSc. Insurance from University of Lagos, Nigeria and an MSc. Finance from University of Leicester, UK.

Managing Director, FSDH Asset Management

Toyin Owolabi

BACKGROUND

Mr. Owolabi has over 20 years of banking experience and is the Group Head of Financial Institutions, responsible for developing and managing the relationship with all non-bank financial institutions and other institutional clients. Before joining FSDH, he worked at FCMB and at different times oversaw Financial Institutions, Correspondent Banking and Structured Funding. He was also the Head of treasury at IMB international Bank. Mr. Owolabi’s educational background includes a bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from the University of Ilorin and an MBA from Business School Netherlands. He has attended numerous local and international courses and in addition to financial institutions, was responsible for wealth management and correspondent banking at FSDH Merchant Bank.

Non-Executive Director, FSDH Asset Management

Kelechi Okoro

BACKGROUND

Kelechi was at Argentil Capital Partners where he originated and executed infrastructure transactions. Prior to Argentil, he worked with the Infrastructure and Natural Resources Group of the International Finance Corporation (IFC), and at ARM Investment Managers (with ~USD 2bn AUM), both in Nigeria. He holds a Bachelor’s in Human Physiology from the University of Ibadan, and an M.B.A. from Lagos Business School. He serves as a Non-Executive Director.

Non-Executive Director, FSDH Asset Management

Yasmin Belo-Osagie

BACKGROUND

She was a border in England before proceeding to Princeton where she graduated cum laude in History (major) and Finance (minor) in 2011. She attended Le Cordon Bleu (a hospitality education institution), in Paris and London. She studied at Harvard Law School and at Stanford Graduate School of Business, graduating with a JD/MBA in 2019. After her graduation from Princeton, Belo-Osagie worked with McKinsey & Company as a business analyst till 2013. While at McKinsey & Company, she met Afua Osei with whom she co-founded She Leads Africa. She serves as a Non-Executive Director with FSDH Asset Management Limited.

Non-Executive Director FSDH Asset Management

Folashade Ogunde

BACKGROUND

Mrs. Folashade Ogunde graduated with a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Economics from the University of Ife (1984) (now Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife). She is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) (2005) and an associate member of the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) (2015). She started her professional career with the firm of Deloitte Haskins & Sells (Chartered Accountants), where she gained accounting and audit experience, and had a stint in Treasury Management at Bancroll Savings & Loans Limited (1993 to 1995) and International Funding Group (Nig.) Limited (1991 to 1992) before joining UAC of Nigeria Plc in 1997. She has held such positions as Management Accountant, UAC Foods; Divisional Commercial Director, Mr. Bigg’s (now UAC Restaurants), Group Treasurer, UAC of Nigeria Plc and Executive Director, Finance at UACN Property and Development Company.

Chairman, FSDH Asset Management

Folashade Laoye

BACKGROUND

She is a graduate of University of Lagos (BSc Accounting, 1990) and qualified as an Associate member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales in 1995 and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria in 1997. She trained with Coopers & Lybrand, UK (now PricewaterHouseCoopers) from 1991 to 1995 and worked with the Corporate Finance Unit of First Securities Discount House (“FSDH”) from 1995 to 1997. She holds a Master of Business Administration from Harvard Business School. She has been instrumental in charting the growth strategy of Hygeia for several years. She serves as the Chairman of the FSDH Asset Management Limited Board of Directors.