Idris Ibrahim - Dikanons Finance, Fintech & Wealth Insights

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Dikanons Finance, founded by Idris Ibrahim, shares practical finance, fintech, and wealth insights designed to simplify complex financial topics and help individuals and businesses make better financial decisions.

01/10/2026

Don't Compare Investments by Expected Return Alone

Two investments can have similar expected returns and very different outcomes.

1. Risk
How much could you lose when things go wrong?

2. Liquidity
How quickly can you access your money when you need it?

3. Fees
What percentage of your return disappears through costs?

4. Taxes
What matters is what you keep after tax, not just what you earn before tax.

5. Time Horizon
When will you actually need the money?

6. When the Market Falls
Can you stay invested without being forced to sell?

The Better Comparison
Return + Risk + Liquidity + Fees + Taxes + Time Horizon

Don't just ask what an investment can make. Ask what can happen before you need the money.

Don't Compare Investments by Expected Return AloneTwo investments can show similar expected returns and still produce ve...
30/09/2026

Don't Compare Investments by Expected Return Alone

Two investments can show similar expected returns and still produce very different outcomes for you.

Why?

Because return is only one part of the decision.

Before investing, ask:

1. What is the risk?
How much could the investment fall if things go badly? More importantly, could you financially cope with that fall?

2. How quickly can I get my money back?
An investment may look attractive until you urgently need the money and discover that selling takes time, comes with restrictions, or forces you to sell at an unfavourable price.

3. What are the fees?
A 10% expected return does not mean you keep 10%. Management fees, transaction costs and other charges can reduce what actually reaches you.

4. What about taxes?
Two investments with the same return can produce different after-tax outcomes depending on how the returns are taxed.

5. How long can I leave the money invested?
An investment that makes sense over 10 years may be completely unsuitable for money you may need next year.

6. What happens when the market falls?
This question is often ignored.

Suppose you invest ₦1 million and it falls 20%.

You now have ₦800,000.

Can you stay invested without needing the money?

Can you handle watching the value fall without selling simply because you are afraid?

That is where an investment plan is tested.

So don't ask only:

“How much can this investment make?”

Also ask:

“How much could I lose, what will it cost me, when might I need the money, and what will I do if the market falls?”

The better comparison is not simply:

Expected return vs expected return.

It is:

Return + Risk + Liquidity + Fees + Taxes + Time Horizon + Your ability to stay invested.

An investment should be judged in the context of the job the money needs to do.

Fintech Savings Account vs Traditional Bank: What Are You Really Getting for the Higher Return?A fintech savings account...
26/09/2026

Fintech Savings Account vs Traditional Bank: What Are You Really Getting for the Higher Return?

A fintech savings account offers a higher return than your traditional bank.

So why not simply move your money?

Because the interest rate is only one part of the decision.

Before you move ₦500,000, ₦1 million or more into a fintech savings product, ask:

Who actually holds my money?

Is the fintech itself the deposit-taking institution, or is your money held through a partner financial institution?

What protection applies to my money?

In Nigeria, NDIC deposit insurance applies to insured deposit-taking institutions, but the exact protection depends on the institution and the structure of the product. Some fintech arrangements can involve pass-through deposit insurance, but that does not mean every balance held through every fintech automatically receives the same protection.

What will I actually earn?

Don't look only at the advertised rate.

Check whether there are conditions, fees, minimum balances, promotional periods or other requirements that affect your actual return.

How quickly can I get my money?

This is one of the most overlooked questions.

A savings product can look attractive until you need the money urgently.

Check:

• Withdrawal rules
• Transfer limits
• Processing times
• Lock-in periods
• Penalties or charges
• Weekend or holiday restrictions

What happens if something goes wrong?

What is the complaint process?

Who do you contact?

What happens if the fintech has a technical problem?

And who is responsible for the funds?

Here's the bigger point:

A higher return does not automatically mean a better savings product.

You need to compare:

Return + fees + liquidity + protection + access + institution + conditions

not just the headline interest rate.

For example, if one account offers a higher rate but makes your money harder to access, that difference may matter if the money is your emergency fund.

If another account offers slightly less but gives you easier access and clearer protection, the lower rate may be worth understanding.

The right question is therefore not:

“Which account pays more?”

It is:

“Which account gives me the right combination of return, access and protection for the job this money needs to do?”

Before moving your savings, answer these five questions:

1. Who legally holds my money?
2. What protection applies?
3. What will I actually earn after fees and conditions?
4. How quickly can I access my money?
5. What happens if the platform or financial institution has a problem?

Your savings account is not just a place to earn interest.

It is where you keep money that has a job to do.

Choose the product based on that job, not just the headline rate.

Should You Save More or Pay Off Debt First?You have some extra money left after your regular expenses.What should you do...
23/09/2026

Should You Save More or Pay Off Debt First?

You have some extra money left after your regular expenses.

What should you do with it?

Save it?

Or use it to reduce your debt?

The answer isn't always "pay off the debt" or "save first."

Ask yourself four questions:

1. How much accessible savings do I already have?
2. How expensive is my debt?
3. How stable is my income?
4. What would happen if an unexpected expense came up tomorrow?

If you have almost no savings, using every spare naira to repay debt could leave you vulnerable to another emergency.

But if you already have a reasonable cash buffer and you're carrying expensive debt, reducing that debt may deserve more attention.

And sometimes, you don't have to choose one completely.

You can build some savings while also paying down costly debt.

The real question isn't:

"Should I save or pay off debt?"

It's:

"Which financial risk do I need to deal with first?"

I explain a simple way to work through the decision in the full article: Here’s a shorter clickable link:

(https://dikanonsfinance.free.nf/2026/09/18/should-you-save-more-or-pay-off-debt-first-a-simple-way-to-decide/)

PERSONAL FINANCE TIP: Build a Buffer Before You Upgrade Your LifestyleA salary increase can feel like permission to spen...
17/09/2026

PERSONAL FINANCE TIP: Build a Buffer Before You Upgrade Your Lifestyle

A salary increase can feel like permission to spend more.

A bigger house. Better car. More subscriptions. More eating out.

But before increasing your lifestyle, consider increasing your financial buffer.

If your income rises by ₦100,000, you don't have to spend the entire ₦100,000.

You could use part of it to:

• Build emergency savings
• Pay down expensive debt
• Increase your investments
• Prepare for irregular expenses

This gives you something many people overlook: room to breathe when life doesn't go according to plan.

The goal isn't to avoid enjoying your money.

It's to make sure every increase in income doesn't immediately become an increase in financial pressure.

When your income grows, let your financial security grow with it.

12/09/2026

Want to start investing in stocks? Start with this.

Buying a stock means buying a small ownership stake in a company.

But before you put your money into any stock, ask yourself three simple questions:

1. What does this company do?
If you cannot explain the business simply, learn more before investing.

2. How does the company make money?
Look at its revenue, profits, debt, and cash flow.

3. Why do I want to own this stock?
Do you believe the business can grow? Are you investing for dividends? Or are you simply following what everyone else is buying?

Remember, a stock can go up or down. Investing is not the same as keeping money in a savings account.

The goal is not to buy a stock because it is popular. The goal is to understand what you are buying.

Start small. Learn continuously. Invest based on your goals and risk tolerance.

Save this post if you're learning how to invest.

A Tax Deduction Can Make Borrowing Cheaper. It Doesn't Make Borrowing Safer.A financial strategy can look very attractiv...
11/09/2026

A Tax Deduction Can Make Borrowing Cheaper. It Doesn't Make Borrowing Safer.

A financial strategy can look very attractive when the numbers include a tax benefit.

But there is a question people often forget to ask:

What happens if the investment doesn't perform as expected?

Consider the basic idea.

You own a valuable property. Instead of leaving it fully paid off, you borrow against it and invest the borrowed money elsewhere.

On paper, the strategy may appear to make sense.

The investment could generate returns.

The interest may receive favourable tax treatment, depending on the jurisdiction and how the borrowing is structured.

The numbers may even show a positive spread.

But the debt still has to be serviced.

The investment return is uncertain.

The value of the investment can fall.

The interest cost continues.

And the property securing the borrowing does not become less valuable to you simply because the investment is performing well.

This is where financial decision-making becomes more important than financial arithmetic.

A tax benefit can reduce the cost of a strategy.

It cannot eliminate:

• Investment risk
• Leverage risk
• Cash-flow risk
• Interest-rate risk
• Market volatility
• The possibility of a forced sale
• The consequences of being wrong about expected returns

So before asking:

"How much can I save in tax?"

also ask:

"If things go badly, can I comfortably survive the strategy?"

That second question is often more important.

Don't confuse tax efficiency with risk management.

A cheaper risk is still a risk.

Dikanons Finance
Clarity in Numbers. Power in Words.

10/09/2026

Many people earn well and still feel financially unstable.

Income covers daily expenses. It does not automatically protect you when something unexpected happens.

A sudden bill or job loss can disrupt everything if there is no financial cushion.

From my experience in finance, I have seen this often.
People focus on earning more but neglect building a buffer.

Financial security is not only about income. It is also about preparation.

Start small if you need to. Even a modest emergency fund makes a difference.

What has been your experience with this?

Before You Invest Your Money, Ask Yourself These 7 QuestionsSomeone sends you an investment opportunity.The returns look...
05/09/2026

Before You Invest Your Money, Ask Yourself These 7 Questions

Someone sends you an investment opportunity.

The returns look attractive.

They tell you other people are already investing.

Maybe it is a friend who sent it to you.

Maybe someone you follow online.

Maybe people in your WhatsApp group are posting screenshots of their profits.

And suddenly, you feel that familiar pressure:

“If I don't invest now, I might miss out.”

This is exactly when you should slow down.

Before sending your money, ask:

1. Who exactly is taking my money?

What's the legal name of the company?

Who owns it?

Where is it registered?

What does the company actually do?

A professional-looking website does not prove that an investment is legitimate.

2. Is the operator properly registered?

If the activity falls under SEC regulation, verify the operator yourself.

Don't rely on:

“Don't worry, we are SEC approved.”

Check.

3. Where exactly will my money be invested?

Can they clearly explain what your money is being used for?

If the explanation is complicated, secretive or deliberately vague, that's a reason to pause.

4. Where does the promised return come from?

This is one of the most important questions.

Is the return coming from business profits?

Interest?

Dividends?

Trading?

Rental income?

Capital appreciation?

You should understand the economic activity generating the return.

5. How do I get my money back?

Don't only ask how to deposit.

Ask how withdrawals work.

How long do they take?

Are there restrictions?

What happens if many investors want their money at the same time?

6. What happens if things go wrong?

Can I lose some or all of my money?

What protections exist?

Be particularly cautious when someone tells you:

“There is no risk.”

Investments involve risk. The important question is whether you understand and can afford it.

7. Would I still invest if nobody else knew about it?

This one is personal.

Because sometimes we're not investing because we've done the analysis.

We're investing because our friends are investing.

Because someone online is showing profits.

Because we're afraid of being left behind.

That's not investment analysis.

That's FOMO.

And FOMO can be very expensive.

The Nigerian SEC has warned investors about unregistered online investment schemes and unrealistic or guaranteed returns.

So before you transfer your money, remember:

Never let someone else's urgency become your financial emergency.

Take your time.

Verify.

Ask questions.

And if you cannot understand where your money is going and how the return is generated, you may not have enough information to invest.

Your money deserves more than a convincing story.

Verify before you transfer.

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