First Asset Management, investment managers and subsidiary of First HoldCo Plc, has expanded its operation into the United States equity market with the launch of its FBN blended dollar fund to drive up customer earnings through high-profile investments domiciled in Nigeria.
Ike Onyia, managing director, First Asset Management, disclosed that the newly launched FBN blended dollar fund is a versatile product ideal for investors with a keen interest in growth during a webinar.
According to him, the blended dollar fund offers competitive returns that can help hedge against inflation and currency risk while providing liquidity. He stated that First Asset Management is the first company to launch a blended fund in the equity market to maximise customer earnings.
Onyia expressed enthusiasm about launching a product that offers a unique opportunity for investors to position themselves in an evolving economic landscape, with a structure that allocates 20 percent to U.S. equities and 80 percent to fixed-income instruments, money market instruments, and Euro bonds domiciled in Nigeria. “The fund presents diversified exposure to global markets.”
The session was moderated by Omohefe Osemere and featured a panel including Laura Fisayo- Kolawole, head of equities and alternative asset management at First Asset Management; Robert Hageneers, head of markets at First Bank UK; Gbolahan Ologunro, portfolio associate at First Asset Management; and Ayodeji Akamu, research associate for energy and international economics at First Bank of Nigeria Limited.
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The panel session was focused on the theme, ‘Blending Returns in a Dynamic Global Environment: Navigating Trump’s Trade Agreement,’ addressing its impact on equity markets in both Nigeria and the United States.
The conversation offered insights into global investment strategies amidst ongoing economic volatility. During the session, First Asset Management introduced the FBN blended dollar fund, explaining its significance and urging investors to seize the opportunity.
According to the panelists, investors are increasingly concentrating on strategies to blend returns across asset classes with a global economic landscape filled with uncertainties.
This year, the positive shift in investor sentiment towards Nigeria has been driven by improvement in the monetary policy framework, increased domestic crude oil production, and rising non-oil revenue supported by improved VAT and customs duty collections—factors anticipated to continue bolstering investor confidence.
Laura Fisayo-Kolawole provided insights into U.S. President Donald Trump’s new economic policies, aimed at protecting local industries and stimulating the U.S. economy.
She discussed the potential long-term effects of high tariffs designed to discourage imports, noting that while there is optimism stemming from Trump’s first-term policies, the market remains volatile and the full impact of these tariffs, effective from April 2, 2025, is still uncertain.
