A new report by technology firm Check, titled The Cost of an Unseen Investor, highlights that the primary hurdle for Nigerian retail investors is not a lack of product access, but a significant gap between interest and participation. The study reveals that potential investors wait seven to ten years before their first transaction, often hindered by trust issues and family financial obligations.

Findings suggest that 77% of retail investors rely on personal networks for trust, rather than institutional credentials. Check argues that the industry must shift from transaction-focused models to social-first experiences that prioritize community, habit-building, and better underlying infrastructure to convert interest into long-term investment behavior. The firm also introduced Nautilus.1, a unified infrastructure solution aimed at addressing the fragmented systems that currently constrain retail trading.