CAPITAL MARKET STRUCTURE AND DEVELOPMENT (A CASE STUDY OF NIGERIA STOCK EXCHANGE NSE)
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY    
			  The  Nigerian capital market is a long term end of the Nigeria financial system just as  the money market is its short-termed in other words, the capital market  performs for the economy, at the long-term end, the functions which the money  market performs at the short-term end of the spectrum. Thus, while those who  are short of funds and need to borrow for short-term propose borrow from the  money market, those who are short of fund and are desirous of borrowing for the  long-term go to the capital market, those who are short of fund and are  desirous of borrowing for the long-term go  to  the capital market. 
Similarly while those who have funds surplus to their  immediate requirements and wish to lend or invest these funds for short-term  periods do so in the money market, those who have such funds and to lend there  for long periods invest or lend these funds to  capital market. 
			  
			  The  regulation of financial markets and the liberation of economies capital flows  in sere veal African countries raise a number of challenging issues. Policy  makers and practitioners are concerned and involved with these issues. A vast  set of issues concerns the setting up and designs of capital market operation  (trading structures). This employs the philosophy of capital market building,  the role of capital market (stock) market in achieving the overall financial  objectives (auctions and dealership) choice for the relative competitiveness of  emerging stock markets, connections between innovative in trading and  regulations world market. 
1.2     STATEMENT  OF THE PROBLEM
			  The Nigerian  stock exchange has undergone a tremendous revolution over the years. After  about 38 years of establishment, the Nigerian stock exchange can be said to  have existed long enough to permit a capital look at its structure and  development. The stock exchange long enough to permit a capital look at its  structure and development. The stock exchange or its establishment was expected  to provide appropriate machinery to facilitate further offering to stock and  shares to the general public in the private sector of the economy, encourage  the investment of savings so soon as it is clear that stocks and shares are  readily available.   
However, any doubt the importance of domestic capital market in ensuring a balanced economic growth should have been dispelled following the experience of most countries since 1980’s. The chronic problems of national and corporate indebted have driven the futility of combining too much short term with too little long term equity.
Things have not been that “smooth” for the Nigerian capital market as intended as at the time of establishment. There are some constrains in this sector. It is believed in some quarters of the economy that the Nigeria capital market is underdeveloped and has not shown substantial growth since independence. And that shares are rarely traded and prices do not reflect trading features of the listed companies.
Also it is feared that the Nigeria capital market has “too many” things to do that it will be unable to develop it’s market structure effectively and efficiently.
1.3     OBJECTIVES  OF THE STUDY
			  This  research project has the objective  of  highlighting  the  Nigeria capital market structure  and development. It looks at the capital market operations, the  key participants in the Nigeria capital market and to  analyze the capital market structure in   aiding the development of the Nigerian economy.
			  
			  In view of  this, capital market operations, the need for stock exhcnage and the Nigerian  capital make and capital structure and development thoroughly dealt with for  analytic purpose.
1.4     SIGNIFICANCE  OF THE STUDY
			  This study  will educate and expose ignorant business men and student to understand the  operations of the NSE thus, widening the horizon of knowledge of the general  public, especially the operations and policy makers of the capital market  recommendations will in no small measure serve as guide towards improved  performance. 
	    
            
			  1.5     STATEMENT  OF HYPOTHESIS
			  Hypothesis  is a conjectural statement of the relationship between two or more variables.  They  are always declarative sentence  from and they relate to either generally or specifically variable to variables. 
			  
			  Therefore,  the following invalid and alternative hypothesis could help us to reach a more  reasonable and unbiased end:
  Ho:    The NSE has not been performing a  significant role in the Nigerian economy development.
Hi: The NSE has been performing a significant role in the Nigeria economic development.
1.6     SCOPE  OF THE STUDY 
			  This  project is restricted to the study of Nigerian stock exchange, Lagos as a case study. And covered the period  2005 to 2007.
1.7     DEFINITION  OF KEY TERMS
			  NSE – Nigeria  stock exchange
  SEC – Securities and exchange  commission
  SECURITIES – These  are written on printed financial documents by which the claims of holders in  specialized properly are secured. They could be stock, shares, bonds and debenture  traded on a stock exchange. 
			  STOCK  EXCHANGE – An organized market for securities.
			  SHARE  HOLDING – The shares owned by specific payer. 
  ISSUING HOUSE – This is a dealing member that  helps to prepare prospectus to sell new securities offered to the public by  company and government. 
  EQUITY – Ordinary shares of a company  residual right of ownership over the assets of a firm. 
  DIVIDEND – part of the profits of a company  appropriated to shareholders.
  DEBENTURE – A document, which contains an acknowledgement  of your indebtedness.
  JOBBERS – Those who help map up all surplus  stock and release   them to the market as  demand permits. 
  STOCK BROKERS - A firm or person who buys and  sells securities on behalf of investors for a commission called brokerage. 
  INVESTORS – A person or an institution who  uses his savings or borrowing to buy securities.
  BROKERAGE – This is a commission that stock  broker charge for service rendered. 
  RIGHT ISSUE – these are funds obtained by  issue of share for cash ordinary share holders in proportion to their existing  holdings unless shareholders in general meeting agreed otherwise. 
  PRICE EARING: - this is the current market  price of share of ratio (PIE) dividend by it’s earning per share. The ratio  indicates investor’s confidence in the stock as well as pay back period of the  stock.
  BONUS SHARES SCRIPT – These are  new share made fully paid by the capitalization of reserves and allotted three  of charge to ordinary shareholders in    proportion to their existing holdings.                       
  NSEC – Nigeria Stock Exchange  commission                                                        
  IPO’s – The pricing of securities
  BOND – Securities that has a nominal  value and which entitles it’s holder to the payment of interest by the issuer  at  regular intervals until the user  redeems the bond.
  BOND HOLDER – the on who  owns a bond.
  CAPITAL MARKET – A market for the supply of  capital to firms.
  ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT – This is a sustained improvement  in material well development being which we may consider to be reflected in an  increasing flow of goods and services                                                                                                                   
  OFFER FOR SALE - A public  offer of shares in a company which is made by an issuing house and in which the  shares being sold are not new shares but have been sold by the existing share  holders.