Cowrywise crosses 1 million stock trades as Nigerians embrace retail investing

Cowrywise has crossed 1 million stock trades, about a year after launching its Stocks product as more Nigerians turn to digital platforms to invest in the equities market.

The milestone highlights the growing role of retail investors in Nigeria’s stock market. It also comes as investment apps make it easier for individuals to buy and sell shares from their phones.

Cowrywise launched its Stocks product in 2025 through a partnership with Meristem Stockbrokers. The service gave users access to shares of listed Nigerian companies through the Cowrywise platform.

According to Cowrywise, users could buy and sell shares in up to 140 listed companies and indices through the product. The move expanded the platform beyond its existing savings and investment services.

Cowrywise stock trades come amid retail growth

The 1 million Cowrywise stock trades come as retail participation in Nigeria’s equities market continues to rise.

A June 2026 report by TechCabal found that domestic retail investors traded ₦2.86 trillion worth of equities between January and May 2026.

The figure was 138.76% higher than the amount recorded during the same period in 2025. Retail investors also accounted for 36.22% of trading activity on the Nigerian Exchange during the period.

Mobile investment platforms have played a role in that growth. Apps such as Cowrywise, Bamboo, Trove and Risevest have lowered some of the barriers that previously made stock investing less accessible to smaller investors.

Cowrywise adds curated stocks

Cowrywise is now taking its Stocks product a step further with a curated stocks feature.

The feature allows users to choose from selected companies supported by analyst research. Cowrywise will also attach ratings such as “buy”, “sell” or “hold” to the selected stocks, according to TechCabal’s report.

The new feature gives users more than a way to access the market. It also provides research-backed information that can help them assess individual companies before investing.

For Cowrywise, the development comes at a time when more Nigerians are participating in the stock market through their phones.

The 1 million-trade milestone shows how quickly that behaviour is growing. Its new curated stocks feature also signals a shift in the competition among investment platforms, from simply providing market access to helping users make better-informed investment choices.