Kiki* (23), an Investment Analyst, started her career earlier than most after graduating from uni at 19. With nearly five years spent analysing deals, reviewing company financials, and watching capital move in real time, her relationship with money has been shaped as much by professional exposure as personal ambition.
Her portfolio reflects that duality: part young investor with time on her side, part finance professional trained to interrogate risk.
We spoke to her about how her job shapes her investing decisions, how her portfolio is structured, and what she’s learnt building wealth in her early twenties.
On working in finance and investing from proximity
In my role as an Investment Analyst within an Investment Banking Division, I evaluate investment opportunities, often reviewing deals, analysing company performance, and assessing risk-to-return before capital is deployed.
Working this close to transactions so early in my career has fundamentally shaped how I think about money.
It’s one thing to learn finance academically. It’s another to watch investments play out in real time —what drives growth, where miscalculations happen, and how long wealth creation actually takes.
That exposure made me more intentional about how I invest my personal money. I think long-term by default, and I’m far more disciplined about how I take risks.
For me, investing isn’t separate from my work. It’s an extension of it.
Portfolio Structure: How My Investments Are Split
I’m 23 and can afford to take more risk because I have time to absorb market volatility. I’d describe myself as a medium-to-high-risk investor, and my portfolio is built for long-term growth.
1) Equities (60–70%)
The majority of my portfolio sits in equities, which are basically investments tied to the stock market.
I invest in equities in two main ways:
Individual stocks:
These are shares I buy in specific companies across the Nigerian and U.S. markets. I hold them long-term, and my decision is based on their fundamentals, not short-term price movements. I’m not trying to time the market or make quick gains.
Equity funds and ETFs:
These are professionally managed baskets of stocks. Instead of researching and buying dozens of companies myself, I let professional fund managers handle security selection and risk management.
They give me broad exposure and diversification while reducing the need for constant monitoring. It’s basically passive investing: I put my money in and let the fund managers handle the heavy lifting.
So within my equity allocation, I hold:
- Individual company shares
- Equity mutual funds
- Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs)
2) Dollar-denominated investments (~30%)
Beyond asset type, I diversify by currency.
Roughly 30% of my portfolio is invested in dollar assets, helping me hedge against naira volatility while also giving me international market exposure.
This allocation includes:
- U.S. equity ETFs — stock market exposure in dollars.
- Dollar mutual funds — professionally managed portfolios denominated in dollars.
- Dollar REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) — mutual funds that invest in income-generating properties like office buildings or apartments.
REITs are particularly useful because they provide real estate exposure without requiring me to buy property directly, which would tie up large capital and reduce liquidity.
Some of these dollar assets, like U.S. ETFs, still fall under equities. The distinction here is between currency diversification and asset class.
3) What I don’t invest in
Fixed income (bonds):
These are safe, lower-risk, lower-return instruments typically used for capital preservation. At my age, they don’t align with my growth objectives, so my exposure is minimal.
Crypto:
The volatility is beyond my personal risk tolerance. I prefer assets whose risk is tied to underlying fundamentals, such as company performance or income-generating assets.
Why this allocation works for me
My portfolio structure is shaped by three things: my age, my timeline, and my financial goals.
Because I’m investing long term, I can afford to prioritise growth over stability. That naturally pushes my allocation toward equities, because historically, equities deliver strong returns over time. That’s compensated risk.
My strategy is simple: long-term, growth-oriented investing, with equities as the primary engine of wealth creation.
Two principles guide how I execute that:
- Intentional risk: I only take risks that are historically compensated, like with my equity exposure.
- Simplicity and discipline: I favour funds and ETFs because they allow me to stay invested without overtrading or reacting emotionally to market swings. I invest consistently and let time do the heavy lifting.
How my portfolio has evolved
My portfolio today looks very different from when I started.
Early on, I was far more cautious. I held more fixed-income instruments to build confidence and understand how markets worked.
In hindsight, that caution didn’t align with my age or time horizon.
As my knowledge grew, I increased my equity holdings and reduced my exposure to assets that prioritised preservation over growth.
Another major shift was concentration.
I moved from holding many individual stocks to owning fewer, higher-quality positions. I realised diversification means owning the right things in the right proportions.
That shift made my portfolio simpler and more effective.
Biggest lesson: Alignment over everything
The most important thing I’ve learnt is that your portfolio has to reflect your goals, your timeline, and risk tolerance.
Investing out of fear makes you overly conservative. Investing out of overconfidence leads you to make reckless bets. Both are costly.
Alignment matters more than complexity, trends, or what anyone else is doing.
Advice for people starting in their 20s or 30s
1) Start with education
Understand asset classes, risk levels, and time horizons before investing. Learn from credible financial publications and research platforms.
2) Get professional guidance if you can
Even one conversation with a licensed advisor can prevent costly early mistakes. If that’s not accessible, self-education becomes critical.
3) Don’t copy portfolios blindly
Your investments should reflect your income, responsibilities, and goals — not someone else’s.
4) Be patient
You don’t need to understand everything immediately. Investing knowledge compounds just like money does.
5) Focus on consistency
In the early stages, discipline matters more than strategy. Showing up regularly, even with small amounts, builds the habit that drives long-term wealth.
