Nigeria’s central bank convened a strategic fintech roundtable on the sidelines of the IMF–World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington this week, reaffirming a collaborative, innovation-driven approach to developing the country’s financial system while pledging to preserve stability and confidence.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said the session drew policymakers, investors and industry leaders and allowed direct engagement with firms driving the expansion of digital finance in Africa’s biggest economy.
Officials said the discussion was used to benchmark international best practices and gather input for the next phase of the CBN’s fintech policy framework.
“At the CBN, we are committed to creating an environment where new ideas can flourish under prudent oversight, and where inclusion is at the heart of our endeavors,” Governor Olayemi Cardoso said, adding that Nigeria’s financial system must evolve with global technological change while safeguarding market integrity.
Participants examined five themes: innovation and responsible growth; infrastructure and interoperability; legal and policy enablement; compliance and financial integrity; and market confidence.
The CBN said the exchanges underscored Nigeria’s position as a dynamic fintech market and highlighted the need for continued collaboration to sustain investor confidence and capital inflows.
Cardoso said insights from the Washington dialogue will feed into ongoing stakeholder consultations and the bank’s broader reform agenda.
“As we embrace new technology, it is our responsibility to uphold the integrity of the financial system, maintaining strong governance, consumer protection, and risk management so that trust in our institutions remains firm,” he said.
The roundtable forms part of a continuing programme of structured industry engagements the CBN has launched to refine innovation-friendly regulation, advance inclusion and strengthen the resilience of payments and digital-finance infrastructure.
The bank said it remains “pro-innovation” but will continue to emphasise prudential oversight, transparency and compliance, including measures to support interoperability and guard against financial crime.
Established as Nigeria’s apex monetary authority, the CBN sets policy to maintain monetary and financial stability and serves as banker and financial adviser to the federal government.
The bank said its policy agenda aims to foster inclusive growth, support responsible innovation and reinforce the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system.
