Business
PENCOM To Invest In Corporate Bonds
The National Pensions Commission (PENCOM) has planned to invest more funds into corporate bonds through amendment to the investment rules of the commission.
The Director-General of PENCOM, Chinelo Anohu-Amazu disclosed this in an interview with newsmen last Friday in Yenagoa.
She said the new rules are being considered to encourage more investments in corporate bonds, thereby making long-term capital available to fund infrastructure projects.
The PENCOM boss said PENCOM has a huge amount which can go into the development of infrastructure but stressed that the funds are being under-utilised.
The DG explained that a major slice of pension assets are now in government bonds, the safest place.
Anohu-Amazu said the country increased the limit of her pension funds investment in equities to 50 per cent from 25 per cent of assets to help boost trading in stocks.
The DG further explained that pension funds are seeking new investment options in equities and other outlets that are safe and offer higher returns.
She stressed that as an additional investment outlet, infrastructure funds could take as much as 15 per cent of pension assets, adding that whether it is power, real estate, roads, railway, all sorts of infrastructure, the commission is interested in the format.
The PENCOM chief disclosed that the overriding objective of the commission is to ensure that the retired workers receive their payments as at when due.
She disclosed that pension administrators in the country include, among others, stanbic IBTC Pension Managers Limited and ARM Pension Managers Limited currently invest only 2 percent of funds in corporate debt far below expectation.