SEC to Stop Unregistered Capital Market Operators from Business May 31

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) says it will stop operations of the Capital Market Operators (CMOs) that are yet to renew their registration by May 31, 2021

The commission disclosed this in a circular signed by the management, and posted on its website.

According to the circular, capital market operators that are yet to renew their registration at the expiration of late filing on May 31, would not be eligible to operate in the capital market.

Consequently, the commission said that late filing for renewal of registration would only be entertained from May 1 to May 31.

According to the SEC, capital market operators were required to have completed the renewal process on or before April 30.

It said that names of operators that had renewed their registration would be published on SEC’s website and national dailies.

It added that the names of eligible CMOs would be communicated to the relevant Securities Exchanges and Trade Associations.

Recall that the SEC had in March issued a circular to the general public and the CMOs for the reintroduction of the periodic renewal of registration by operators.

The commission noted that the reintroduction of the registration renewal was due to the need to have a reliable data bank of all the CMOs registered and active in the country’s capital market.

The registration renewal was also to increasingly reduce incidences of unethical practices by the CMOs such as may affect investors’ confidence and to strengthen supervision and monitoring by the commission.