Best Equity Funds in Nigeria
Nigeria has 18 SEC-registered equity funds betting entirely on the stock market, and the gap between the best and worst performer is bigger than most investors realise. We rank them below by yield and size, current as of 19 June 2026, and it updates itself the moment SEC publishes new figures.
Equity funds put your money directly into shares of listed companies, the highest-risk, highest-potential-return corner of the SEC-regulated fund industry. Across the 18 funds tracked here, published yields currently range from -3.31% to 4.65%, a spread of 7.96% between the highest and lowest performer this reporting week.
Paramount Equity Fund, managed by Chapel Hill Denham Mgt. Limited, currently leads on week-to-date yield at 4.65%, with a net asset value of ₦24.96B. Equity fund performance swings hard week to week, so check the year-to-date figure in the leaderboard below before judging a fund on one strong week.
Top 10 equity funds
Tap a metric to re-rank. Tap a fund to see its full numbers.
Ranking updates automatically as new SEC fund data is published.
Why these numbers move
Week-to-date yield reflects only the most recent SEC reporting week, annualised. It moves the most from update to update, since it is sensitive to that week's short-term conditions.
Year-to-date yield smooths this out by tracking cumulative performance since January, so it is a steadier signal if you are comparing funds over a longer horizon.
Fund size (NAV) tells you how much money other investors have placed in the fund. It is a signal of scale and trust, not a signal of return, so a large fund is not automatically a higher-yielding one.
See what an equity fund return could mean for your money
Equity returns are the least predictable of any fund type here, one bad quarter can erase months of gains. Adjust the amount and rate below to see how sensitive a long-term outcome is to the return you assume.
Estimated balance
after 1 year · gain: -NGN 1,049
Equity funds vs. money market vs. balanced funds
Where equity funds sit at the high-risk, high-potential end of the fund spectrum.
| Money market funds | Fixed income / bond funds | Balanced funds | Equity funds | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Median WTD yield | 16.71% | 0.16% | 0.13% | -0.21% |
| Funds tracked | 47 | 42 | 29 | 18 |
| Total NAV | ₦5.95T | ₦443.28B | ₦156.99B | ₦230.16B |
| Risk level | Low | Low-medium | Medium | High |
| Liquidity | High, often next-day | Medium | Medium | Medium |
| Typical horizon | Days to months | 1-5 years | 3-7 years | 5+ years |
Yield, fund count, and NAV are live SEC figures. Risk, liquidity, and horizon are general characteristics of each fund type, not fund-specific guarantees.
About Chapel Hill Denham Mgt. Limited
Chapel Hill Denham Mgt. Limited manages the current top-ranked fund by week-to-date yield, Paramount Equity Fund, and runs 4 funds tracked on this site in total.
Frequently asked questions
What is an equity fund?+
An equity fund is a mutual fund that invests mainly in shares of listed companies. It offers the highest long-term growth potential of the mainstream SEC-regulated fund types, but also the most volatility, since share prices move with the stock market.
What do week-to-date (WTD) and year-to-date (YTD) yield mean?+
Week-to-date yield reflects the fund’s reported return over the most recent SEC reporting week, annualised for comparison. Year-to-date yield reflects the cumulative return since the start of the year. For equity funds, a single week rarely tells the full story, so the year-to-date figure is usually more informative.
Are equity funds risky?+
Yes, more than any other mainstream fund type tracked here. Equity funds can lose value over short periods as share prices fall, and are best suited to money you won’t need for several years. Always confirm a fund manager’s SEC registration before investing.
How often does this ranking update?+
This page is generated from the latest SEC collective investment scheme report (currently dated 19 June 2026). Rankings and figures refresh automatically each time SEC publishes new fund data, no manual editing required.
Does a bigger fund mean a better return?+
Not necessarily. A fund’s net asset value (NAV) reflects its size, not its yield. Some of the largest equity funds by NAV are not the highest-yielding this week, and smaller funds can post competitive returns. Check both figures separately before deciding.
Educational use only. Figures are useful for comparison but are not investment advice.