AI agents for business finance: what they can and can't do
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The short answer
i-invest is the investment app developed by Parthian Partners, a firm that says it is licensed and regulated by the SEC and FMDQ. Parthian's own page, last updated June 2026, says you can buy small volumes of treasury bills on i-invest from ₦10,000. You sign up with your phone number, email, name and BVN, complete KYC, fund your wallet, then pick a T-bill and confirm the amount; the rate shown in the app on the day is the one that applies.
Who runs i-invest
i-invest was developed by Parthian Partners in 2018, according to a 2021 TechCabal profile in which the firm's chief executive, Olusoga Oluseye, is described as the founder of i-invest and says that "everything we do is under the regulatory scope of the SEC". Parthian Partners' website states that it is "Licensed and Regulated by The Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria and FMDQ". That page does not say Parthian is a CBN primary dealer, so we do not claim it here.
Treasury bills themselves are short-term debt of the Federal Government, sold by the CBN at auction. When you buy through an app, a licensed firm buys on your behalf, either at the primary auction or on the secondary (over-the-counter) market, and records your holding. Our explainer on how treasury bill auctions work sets out the process in full.
Why people use an app rather than a bank
Parthian's T-bill page compares entry points. It says investors with less money can buy through some commercial banks "for as little as N100,000", while the i-invest app lets you buy small volumes "from N10,000". The same page gives a far higher minimum for buying directly through licensed dealers, a figure we could not reconcile and do not repeat. The practical point for most savers is the ₦10,000 entry level, which the 2021 TechCabal profile also gave as "about ₦10,000".
Steps to buy T-bills on i-invest
The onboarding steps below come from the TechCabal profile; the app's screens may have changed since 2021, so follow the prompts on your own phone.
- Download i-invest from the App Store or Google Play Store.
- Register with your phone number, email address, full name and BVN.
- Complete KYC. TechCabal reported that basic KYC unlocks most products, while trading equities needs enhanced KYC: a selfie, a utility bill and an official ID. It said verification should take about 24 hours.
- Fund your i-invest wallet using the funding options the app shows, and note any charge it displays.
- Open the treasury bills section and choose a bill. Check the tenor (days to maturity), the rate quoted and the maturity date.
- Enter an amount of at least the minimum shown (₦10,000 per Parthian's page) and confirm.
How the return works, with an example
T-bills are sold at a discount: you pay less than face value now and receive the full face value at maturity. The difference is your return. Parthian's page describes 364-day bills sold at auction every two weeks and adds that T-bills "can be sold before maturity on the OTC market", though it gives no timing for doing so through the app.
Worked example (example only)
Example only, with an invented rate. Musa buys a 364-day bill with ₦100,000 face value at a discount rate of 18% a year. The discount is ₦100,000 × 18% × 364 ÷ 365 = ₦17,951 (rounded). He pays ₦100,000 − ₦17,951 = ₦82,049 today and receives ₦100,000 at maturity. His gain of ₦17,951 on ₦82,049 invested is about 21.9% over the year, which is why the true yield on a discounted bill is higher than the discount rate quoted. For real rates, see our page on treasury bill stop rates, which shows how to read the CBN's results; the live rate on i-invest is shown in the app on the day you buy.
Risks worth knowing before you buy
Treasury bills are backed by the Federal Government, which is why they are often described as the lowest-risk naira investment. The risks that remain for an app user are practical rather than about default. First, your money is tied up until maturity unless the app can sell the bill for you, and a forced early sale may come at a worse price than you paid. Second, you rely on the intermediary to record your holding correctly and pay you at maturity, so it matters that the firm is regulated; Parthian Partners states that it is regulated by the SEC and FMDQ. Third, inflation: if prices rise faster than the yield you lock in, your money buys less at maturity than it did when you invested. Our piece on real returns in Nigeria shows how to compare the two.
Keep your own record of each purchase: the date, face value, amount paid and maturity date. If anything goes wrong, a screenshot of the confirmation screen is the quickest evidence for a complaint to the app's support team.
What to check first
- The rate quoted is a discount rate or a yield. The two give different numbers for the same bill.
- Whether you are buying at the primary auction (you wait for the auction date) or from existing stock (settlement is usually quicker).
- What happens at maturity: whether the proceeds return to your wallet or roll over.
- Any fee shown on the confirmation screen. Our guide to i-invest fees, minimums and withdrawal covers what is and is not published.
- Whether early sale is offered in the app, and at what price.
Where Pryme fits
Pryme does not sell treasury bills. If you are saving towards a goal rather than investing in government debt, Pryme's naira Savings Boxes (Flexible, Fixed, Investment and Interest-free) show their rates in the app before you commit. For background on direct purchases, read how to buy treasury bills in Nigeria.
Questions people ask
What is the minimum for treasury bills on i-invest?
Parthian Partners' T-bill page, last modified June 2026, says you can buy small volumes on the i-invest app from ₦10,000.
Is i-invest licensed?
i-invest was developed by Parthian Partners, whose website says it is licensed and regulated by the SEC and FMDQ. Check the current details in the app's legal section.
Can I sell my T-bill on i-invest before maturity?
Parthian's page says T-bills can be sold before maturity on the OTC market, but it does not say how or how fast this works in the app. Ask support before you buy if you may need the money early.
What do I need to open an i-invest account?
TechCabal reported that you register with a phone number, email, name and BVN, and that enhanced KYC (selfie, utility bill, ID) is needed for equities.
Sources
- Parthian Partners: Treasury Bills in Nigeria, what they are and how they work (modified 24 Jun 2026) · accessed Oct 2026
- TechCabal: i-invest, Nigeria's one-stop financial management and wealth creation app (16 Dec 2021) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.