The public have the opportunity to invest in the Lotus Capital Halal Investment Fund through an Initial Public Offer (IPO) of one billion ordinary shares at N1.00 per unit.

The manager of the fund is Lotus Capital Limited while the trustee of the fund and issuing houses are First Trustee Nigeria Limited and Vetiva Capital Management Limited and Unity Bank Plc respectively.

According to its website Lotus Capital is a full-service, ethical investment management boutique specialising in Sharia compliant asset management, private wealth management advisory services and financial advisory services.

The IPO, tagged 'The Halal Fund', offers investors the opportunity to invest in a fund that complies with Islamic Law.

Hajara Adeola, managing director of Lotus Capital Limited, said that the fund enables those who have been sceptical about investing due to their ethical principles, to rest assured that their money will not be invested in securities that contradict their principles.

Funds obtained from the IPO will be invested in Nigerian Stock Exchange listed securities, as well as any recognised foreign and local securities exchange. This will, however, exclude stocks of companies involved in breweries, casinos, adult-entertainment, tobacco, conventional banking and insurance.

Lotus Capital recorded a 38.9% return on investment during 2007.