The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has assured leaders in the country’s financial technology (fintech) sector that the apex bank remains committed to supporting innovation while maintaining strong regulatory oversight to safeguard financial stability.
Cardoso gave the assurance during a strategic session with Nigerian fintech CEOs held on the sidelines of the 2025 Annual Meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington, D.C.
The closed-door meeting, themed “Shaping the Future of Fintech in Nigeria: Innovation, Inclusion, and Integrity,” brought together fintech founders, investors, regulators, and policy experts for in-depth discussions on the future of digital finance, innovation, and regulation in Nigeria.
According to a statement issued on Thursday, the session served as a listening and feedback platform to help the CBN better understand the evolving fintech landscape and design policies that encourage responsible innovation.
Cardoso said the central bank’s goal is to build a supportive regulatory environment where creativity and entrepreneurship can thrive without compromising the safety and integrity of the financial system.
“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 endeavours,” Cardoso stated.
“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.”
Fintech CEOs, Regulators Chart Path for Responsible Growth
The meeting covered five key focus areas:
- Innovation and responsible growth
- Infrastructure and interoperability
- Legal and policy enablement
- Compliance and financial integrity, and
- Market confidence and sustainable capital flows
Participants exchanged insights on how to foster deeper collaboration between regulators and innovators, streamline compliance processes, and scale digital financial services across underserved communities.
The session concluded with a joint commitment by the CBN and fintech leaders to sustain ongoing dialogue and align future regulatory reforms with Nigeria’s broader financial inclusion and innovation agenda.
Driving a Smarter, More Inclusive Financial Future
Analysts say the CBN’s engagement with fintech leaders marks a shift toward co-regulation, an approach that balances policy discipline with flexibility to accommodate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, and open banking.
Industry observers believe that such high-level collaboration could unlock new opportunities for investment, deepen financial inclusion, and position Nigeria as Africa’s fintech innovation hub.
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