From Fintech Pioneer To Global Regulatory Model

MARK ITSIBOR writes that the Central Bank of Nigeria has emerged as an unexpected architect of fintech regulation, offering lessons for financial authorities worldwide.

Nigeria’s ascent as one of Africa’s most dynamic fintech hubs did not happen by accident. It has been shaped by a combination of entrepreneurial energy, expanding digital infrastructure, and—critically—steady regulatory stewardship from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

What is increasingly evident is that the apex bank is not merely overseeing growth in financial technology; it is deliberately structuring it to position Nigeria as both an innovation leader and a rule-maker in the evolving global digital economy.

That ambition is clearly articulated in the CBN Fintech Report themed “Shaping the Future of Fintech in Nigeria: Innovation, Inclusion and Integrity.” The report signals a strategic shift: Nigeria is no longer content with being a frontrunner in fintech adoption; it aims to shape regulatory standards, trust frameworks, and innovation practices across Africa and beyond.

Governor Olayemi Cardoso, in presenting the report, emphasised that with coherent reforms and a unified national vision, Nigeria can transition from fintech participant to fintech standard-setter. His message was not rhetorical. It reflected the culmination of years of infrastructure investment, regulatory refinement, and collaboration between the CBN and industry players.

Nigeria’s fintech expansion represents more than a technological trend—it is a structural opportunity to deepen inclusion, broaden economic participation, and reinforce resilience in a rapidly digitising world. Mobile phone penetration in Nigeria significantly outpaces access to traditional banking services, creating a natural bridge between digital connectivity and financial access.

Yet the CBN’s own research acknowledges that access gaps remain. Identity verification constraints, affordability challenges, and infrastructure deficits continue to limit full participation in the formal financial system. By placing these challenges at the centre of its policy framework, the CBN signals a pragmatic and reform-oriented approach.

The fintech report, developed through nationwide surveys, stakeholder workshops, and industry consultations, provides a grounded assessment of the ecosystem. It maps progress, identifies bottlenecks, and outlines strategic pathways for the next phase of development.

The research points to a compelling reality: Nigeria’s ecosystem possesses the scale, maturity, and institutional backing required not only to sustain growth but to influence continental and global norms.

By strengthening cooperation between regulators and innovators, modernising infrastructure, and clarifying regulatory expectations, the CBN is creating an environment where creativity thrives under prudent oversight.

A Global Ambition Rooted in Local Reform

The CBN’s vision extends beyond domestic inclusion. The report highlights Nigeria’s growing capacity to influence continental digital finance standards and to participate meaningfully in the design of cross-border digital corridors. By promoting mutual recognition frameworks and harmonised regulatory principles, Nigeria can consolidate its leadership role within Africa’s digital economy.

International credibility, however, rests heavily on regulatory integrity. In this regard, the CBN’s emphasis on anti-money laundering (AML) enforcement, consumer protection, and real-time payments governance reflects a commitment to global best practices.

Demonstrating regulatory leadership in these areas strengthens Nigeria’s international standing and enhances investor confidence.

Governor Cardoso has repeatedly underscored the transformative potential of digital finance. He has witnessed how fintech can expand economic participation, generate employment, and uplift communities. With improved currency stability and macroeconomic reforms underway, he argues that financial innovation can now advance inclusion at scale.

The fintech report, he noted, embodies the Central Bank’s commitment to balancing growth with stability. It captures candid feedback from fintech operators, financial institutions, and policymakers—highlighting both progress and gaps. By situating Nigeria’s fintech journey within global trends, the report acknowledges emerging risks while outlining clear opportunities.

For the CBN, innovation is not optional—it is strategic. But innovation must operate within a framework that protects consumers and preserves systemic stability.

Nigeria’s fintech ecosystem has demonstrated remarkable resilience in attracting capital. In 2024 alone, Nigerian startups secured over US$520 million in equity funding out of Africa’s US$2.2 billion total, placing the country among the continent’s leading innovation destinations.

Five years earlier, in 2019, Nigerian startups raised approximately US$747 million—about 37 per cent of total African startup funding.

Such performance, even amid global macroeconomic volatility, underscores Nigeria’s appeal as a financial innovation hub. However, the ecosystem’s reliance on foreign venture capital exposes it to global interest rate cycles and currency fluctuations.

The tightening of monetary conditions in advanced economies in 2022 contributed to slower inflows by 2024.

The CBN recognises this vulnerability. Encouraging domestic funding channels—including leveraging Nigeria’s capital markets—has become part of the broader strategy to build resilience. Diversifying funding sources not only reduces external shocks but strengthens the ecosystem’s sustainability.

Given Nigeria’s transaction volumes and mature real-time infrastructure, the country’s regulatory lessons increasingly resonate beyond its borders. The CBN’s engagement with ecosystem stakeholders—through quantitative surveys, closed-door workshops, and roundtables—reinforces its intent to convert operational experience into regulatory influence.

Nigeria’s leadership in digital payments predates many global peers. As far back as 2011, the country implemented a nationwide, real-time interoperable payments infrastructure. Instant interbank transfers became a standard feature of financial life well ahead of numerous advanced economies.

This achievement has been sustained through collaboration between the CBN and the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), creating one of the most resilient and widely adopted real-time payment platforms globally. Today, over a quarter of all electronic transactions in Nigeria are processed via real-time channels.

Transaction volumes illustrate the scale of adoption. Close to 11 billion transactions were processed in 2024, compared to five billion in 2022. Such growth places Nigeria among the top adopters globally and firmly establishes it as Africa’s leader in instant payments.

This trajectory aligns with the Payments System Vision 2025, which targets near-universal electronic payment penetration by 2030. The infrastructure foundation, already in place, provides a powerful springboard for the next phase of inclusion and innovation.

Integrity as the Anchor of Innovation

Despite progress, Nigeria continues to contend with reputational challenges linked to digital fraud. The CBN’s approach has been to confront the issue transparently while strengthening systemic safeguards.

Data from NIBSS show measurable improvement. Fraud losses declined from N52.26 billion in 2024 to N25.85 billion last year. Fraud cases also dropped significantly, from 123,918 in 2021 to 67,515 in 2025. These reductions reflect coordinated efforts across the industry.

A key enabler has been identity management reform. The rollout of the Bank Verification Number (BVN) and its integration with the National Identification Number (NIN) have substantially reduced impersonation and synthetic identity fraud. Enhanced verification processes across banks, agent networks, and digital platforms are steadily closing vulnerabilities.

Equally transformative is Nigeria’s migration to ISO 20022, a global messaging standard that enhances transaction traceability and analytics. Richer structured data supports earlier fraud detection and stronger risk management.

The institutionalisation of fraud information-sharing through the Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF), along with EMV chip-and-PIN migration and two-factor authentication protocols, demonstrates how innovation and integrity can advance together.

The CBN’s fintech strategy rests on a clear principle: creativity must be matched with caution. Encouraging innovation while safeguarding stability is a delicate balance, yet it is central to sustainable development.

Governor Cardoso has reiterated that fintech must deliver services to every corner of Nigeria—from metropolitan centres to rural communities. Inclusion remains the guiding objective. At the same time, governance standards, consumer protection mechanisms, and prudent oversight are non-negotiable.

The Central Bank’s commitment to continuous engagement with industry stakeholders reinforces its collaborative ethos. By refining policies through dialogue, the CBN ensures that regulation evolves alongside innovation.

The vision is ambitious but coherent: to make Nigeria a model for fintech governance in Africa and beyond. A country where digital finance drives broad-based prosperity, and where regulatory foresight ensures lasting confidence.

As Nigeria navigates the complexities of the digital economy, the Central Bank’s steady stewardship is transforming leadership aspiration into tangible reality. Through infrastructure strength, policy clarity, institutional collaboration, and an unwavering focus on integrity, the CBN is not merely supervising fintech growth—it is shaping its future.

In doing so, it is positioning Nigeria not only as Africa’s fintech powerhouse, but as a global reference point for how innovation and regulation can advance hand in hand.