Investments are critical for turning income into wealth. It is one of the logical ways to build wealth over time. The reality of working to spend what you earn on upkeep is that you end up just "surviving". But for most people, the goal should be to scale up by acquiring some assets to increase streams of income, and eventually be rich or wealthy.

An investment is any item you buy with capital in order to increase its value over time (make a profit). Using some funds to buy any of the various assets like bonds, stocks, shares, landed property, digital coins, shares in farm produce, etc. is an investment. One rewarding way to put your money to work is to invest it, no matter how little.

Investments are important for a fulfilling retirement as they produce long-term returns. Investing in a currency like the U.S. dollar can help you stay ahead of inflation. Investments also help meet financial goals and provide regular income asides from a salary. Imagine if in 2019, when one Bitcoin was valued at $6000, you invested the naira equivalent, N4.2 million. In 2023 one Bitcoin is worth over $28,000, and that investment would have matured into N19.6 million, earning you an N15.4 million profit. That is typically how investments work. Although they may not always bring quick and huge profits, they are a good store of value. With time and favorable market conditions, they produce the expected benefits.

It is important to note that getting professional advice on what and how to invest is an intelligent choice. Do not invest in what you don't understand to avoid unnecessary loss.

Discover top investment apps in Nigeria for 2023: Download these free financial tools, choose assets to invest in, and start generating profits with ease.

Bamboo

Bamboo is an investment app that deals in U.S. stocks, a bundle of companies called an ETF, African companies, mutual funds, or fixed-income products, from as little as N14,000 ($20). On the Bamboo app, users can buy shares of their favorite companies across various industries like tech or entertainment, and when the company stock value increases, the user earns a profit. Registration with NIN (National Identification Number), contact details, and no paperwork are all that is needed to join Bamboo.

Bamboo takes a commission, as low as 2%, on the estimated amount of shares purchased by the user. Users can diversify their investment portfolio from various options of stocks, and track the performance of returns within the app. The Bamboo app has 4.0 stars from over 6000 reviews with more than 1 million downloads, on the Google Play store.

Cowrywise

This investment platform offers Naira and USD mutual funds from as low as N100 according to users' goals. They also connect users with professional advisors to develop their investment goals and find the right plan. Interest earned per annum is fixed for conservative funds, but on moderate and aggressive mutual funds, users earn through capital appreciation. Mutual funds investments can get up to 20% per annum on the Cowrywise app.

The app has a 4.4-star rating from over 25,000 reviews and over 500,000 downloads.

Risevest

Risevest gives easy access to global investment opportunities. They offer investment plans in Real estate, Fixed income, and Stocks with annual returns of 15%, 10%, and 14% respectively. With a minimum of $10, users can hold assets on Risevest and earn profit in dollars.  Risevest avails in-app chats or pre-booked sessions with experts to delve deeper into your personal situation.

They are rated 3.6/5 stars from over 2000 reviews on the google play store and have over 100,000 downloads.

Piggyvest

On the Piggyvest app, there is an "Investify" feature where ₦5,000 can buy some shares of any low-risk asset from the industry that appeals to the user. Some industries on the app include Agriculture, Real-estate, Transportation, commercial papers, etc. Users will earn as much as a 25% return on their capital per annum.

Trove

Trove simplifies investments in Bonds, foreign stocks, and ETFs. A user can maintain portfolios in different currencies including naira, euro, and dollars. The app also gives real-time data including market quotes and charts for over 10,000 financial instruments, traded across a number of global exchanges.​

Trove allows investments from N1000 or $10 in local or foreign stocks. The app's categories of assets range from gaming to technology, transport, travel, healthcare, etc.  Expert ratings, research, and analytics guide users through their investment decisions. They have a 3.1-star rating, over 1000 reviews, and more than 100,000 reviews.