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SpaceX Goes Public: A Guide for Nigerian Investors
For years, U.S IPOs felt like something Nigerians could only read about. The world's biggest companies would go public on the Nasdaq or NYSE, retail investors in New York and London would pile in on day one, and Nigerian investors would watch from the sidelines.
That's no longer the case. Today, you can invest in US stocks from Nigeria directly from your phone, and one of the most anticipated listings in history is about to give you a clear chance to do it.
SpaceX begins trading on the Nasdaq on 12 June 2026, under the ticker $SPCX, in what analysts are calling the largest IPO ever. For Nigerian investors with the right setup, you can buy the SpaceX IPO in Nigeria from day one. This guide walks you through exactly how.
Why Nigerian investors are paying attention
SpaceX isn't just another tech company going public. It's a diversified business that combines a near-monopoly on global rocket launches, the world's largest satellite internet network (Starlink, which already operates in Nigeria), defence contracts, and a growing AI infrastructure arm.
The IPO aims to raise $75 to $80 billion at an estimated valuation of $1.75 to $2 trillion. If it hits that target, it'll be more than three times the size of the previous record-holder, Saudi Aramco's 2019 listing.
If you don't know, an IPO (Initial Public Offering) is the process by which a private company first sells shares of its stock to the public, officially becoming publicly traded. It allows the business to raise capital from public investors and allows early private investors to cash out their shares. Learn more about how IPO investing works here.
For a deeper breakdown of why the SpaceX IPO is generating so much excitement, including the case for and against the valuation, read our main piece.
How to buy $SPCX on Raenest
No more sitting on the sidelines. With Raenest, you can buy the SpaceX IPO in Nigeria from as little as $2, fund your trading wallet from whichever Raenest balance suits you (USD, GBP, EUR, or NGN), and own a piece of $SPCX from day one alongside other US stocks like Apple, Tesla, Coca-Cola, and VOO.
Verified Nigerian users get full access to thousands of US stocks and ETFs directly in the app, with no need to wire money to a foreign broker.
Step 1: Create your Raenest account
Get the Raenest app from the App Store or Google Play Store, and when prompted, choose Personal Account. Enter your email address, verify it and create a secure password.
Get your Raenest account verified. Identity verification is mandatory to access the stocks feature. If you've already got a Raenest account but haven't completed full KYC, do that first. It involves uploading a valid government ID and confirming a few personal details.
Step 2: Fund your trading wallet
Your trading wallet is where your investment capital lives, and you can fund it from any of your existing Raenest balances. If you already hold USD, funding is free. If you're funding in NGN, GBP, or EUR, a standard conversion fee applies, and the rate is shown clearly before you confirm. You choose the funding source that works for you.
To fund your trading wallet:
- Open your Raenest app and go to Buy stocks.
- Select Add money beside the trading wallet.
- Enter the amount you want to fund.
- Select your preferred funding source (USD, GBP, EUR, or NGN).
- Tap Add money.
Step 3: Wait for the listing, then buy
$SPCX begins trading on the Nasdaq on 12 June 2026. Once it does, open the Stocks section in your Raenest app, search for the ticker, set your amount, and place your order.
Orders execute during US market hours: 9:30 am to 4:00 pm Eastern Time. In Nigerian time, that's 2:30 pm to 9:00 pm West African Time, or 3:30 pm to 10:00 pm during US daylight saving.
Orders placed outside these hours are automatically queued and executed when the market reopens.
For the full walkthrough of how to buy, sell, and withdraw on Raenest, see our blog: How Stocks Work on Raenest.
How much should a Nigerian investor put into $SPCX?
Before answering, the honest disclaimer: nobody can tell you how much to invest, including us. That's a personal decision that depends on your income, savings, existing investments, and risk tolerance.
What we can offer is the framing financial advisers typically use for new IPOs:
Treat IPO investments as part of your speculative allocation, not as part of your core portfolio. Most balanced portfolios keep 5 to 10% of their value in higher-risk, higher-reward positions. A first-day IPO purchase fits in that bucket.
Size based on what you can afford to see fall. IPO prices often swing 20 to 40% in the first few weeks. If a $200 loss in your investment account would change how you sleep at night, $200 is more than you should put in.
Consider building your position over time instead of all at once. This is where Raenest's Auto-Invest feature can help. You can set up a recurring monthly purchase of $SPCX (or any other stock) starting from just $2 per execution. Some investors prefer buying through volatility on a fixed schedule rather than trying to guess the perfect entry day. Whether that approach suits you depends on your own goals and risk tolerance. Want to know more? See how to set up Auto-Invest.
Don't put money away that you'll need in the next 12 months:
Stock investments are long-term. If you might need the money for rent, school fees, or an emergency, keep it in a savings account rather than in a single stock.
Completely new to Investing? Check out our beginner’s guide to stocks and investing.
What about taxes for Nigerian investors in US stocks?.
US stocks held by Nigerian residents are subject to two potential tax considerations:
US withholding tax on dividends. The US government withholds 30% of dividend payments to foreign holders by default. Nigeria does not currently have a comprehensive tax treaty with the US that lowers this rate, so the full 30% typically applies. Note that SPCX is unlikely to pay dividends in its early years as a public company, so this matters less for now than it would for a stock like Coca-Cola.
Nigerian tax on capital gains. If you sell your SPCX shares for a profit, those gains may be taxable in Nigeria. Under the Nigeria Tax Act that took effect on 1 January 2026, capital gains for individuals are no longer charged at a separate flat rate. They're now assessed as part of your personal income and taxed at your applicable income tax band. Rates, thresholds, and reliefs change, so check the current guidance from the Nigeria Revenue Service (formerly the Federal Inland Revenue Service) or speak to a Nigerian tax adviser before making a major sale.
A practical pre-IPO checklist for Nigerian investors
Use this to get yourself ready before the listing day:
- Create and verify your Raenest account if you haven't already. The stocks feature requires completed identity verification, and processing takes 24 to 48 hours.
- Fund your trading wallet with the amount you plan to invest. Use whichever balance works best for you (USD, NGN, GBP, or EUR) and decide on the amount in advance, not in the heat of the moment on listing day.
- Move funds into your trading wallet so they're sitting in USD and ready to deploy.
- Decide on your strategy. Buy at the open, wait for the price to settle, or set up Auto-Invest to build your position over weeks or months.
- Have realistic expectations. $SPCX could open above its IPO price and stay there. It could pop and dump. It could trade flat for months. None of these would be unusual for a major IPO. Your job is to invest at a size where any of those outcomes is survivable.
The bottom line
The SpaceX IPO is one of those rare moments where a major US listing is accessible to Nigerian investors from day one. Whether you want to buy SpaceX stock with Raenest at the open, invest in US stocks from Nigeria for the first time, or set up a long-term position through Auto-Invest, getting started with Raenest only takes minutes.
What you control isn't the IPO itself. You can't influence the price, the timing, or how Wall Street prices the shares. What you control is whether you're ready when the listing happens, whether you've sized your investment sensibly, and whether you've chosen a strategy you can stick with through whatever volatility comes next.
Log in to Raenest and fund your trading wallet now, so you can hit the ground running when $SPCX starts trading.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Nigerians legally buy US stocks?
Yes, through licensed platforms that operate within Nigeria's regulatory framework. The Central Bank of Nigeria licenses Raenest as an International Money Transfer Operator, and our US stock feature is offered in partnership with City Investment Capital Limited, a firm licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria.
- Can I fund my SpaceX investment in naira?
Yes, but it's not the only option. You can fund your Raenest trading wallet from any of your existing balances: USD, GBP, EUR, or NGN. If you fund from USD, there's no conversion fee. If you fund from NGN or another non-USD balance, a standard conversion fee applies, and you see the rate clearly before confirming. The actual stock purchase is in dollars, regardless of which balance you fund.
- How much do I need to start?
On Raenest, you can choose to start with $2. You don't need to wait until you've saved up enough for a full share before you start.
- Do I need a US bank account to buy SpaceX stock?
No. Your funds sit in your Raenest USD wallet, and your stock holdings are custodied with Alpaca Securities in the US. You don't need to open or maintain a separate US bank account.
- Can I sell my SpaceX shares and bring the money back to Nigeria?
Yes. When you sell, the proceeds return to your trading wallet in USD. From there, you can hold the USD, convert to any currency Raenest supports, or withdraw to your Nigerian bank account, subject to standard processing times and any applicable conversion fees.
- What happens if SpaceX shares fall after I buy?
You hold what you bought, and the value of your position declines as the price falls. You can sell at the lower price and crystallise the loss, or hold and wait for a potential recovery. Nothing about your Raenest account is at risk: the loss is purely on the stock's value, not the platform.
- Is SpaceX a safe investment?
No stock is "safe" in the sense that you can guarantee returns. SpaceX is a high-growth, high-valuation company with negative net income, is founder-controlled, and is exposed to capital-intensive industries. It could be a generational investment, or it could underperform expectations. Do your own research, don't invest more than you can afford to lose, and consider speaking with a qualified financial adviser before making a major investment.
Disclaimer: Raenest is not a broker-dealer, investment adviser or member of FINRA—securities offered by Alpaca Securities LLC, a member of FINRA and the Securities Investor Protection Corporation. Raenest does not recommend any specific securities or investment strategies. Investing involves risk, and investments may lose value, including the loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investors should consider their investment objectives and risks carefully before investing. US stock investments are held with Alpaca Securities LLC, a US-licensed broker-dealer regulated by the SEC and FINRA. Investment feature is offered in partnership with City Investment Capital Limited, a firm licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria licenses Raenest Inc. as an International Money Transfer Operator. This article is for general information only and does not constitute financial or tax advice.
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