Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (L) during a strategic session with Nigerian fintech CEOs in Washington DC.
Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has assured financial technology (fintech) leaders that the apex bank will back innovation in the industry under prudent oversight.
Cardoso also reaffirmed the regulator’s commitment to fostering innovation in the fintech ecosystem while ensuring financial stability and integrity.
The CBN governor spoke during a strategic session with Nigerian fintech CEOs on the sidelines of the 2025 annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank in Washington DC.
The session, themed ‘Shaping the Future of Fintech in Nigeria: Innovation, Inclusion, and Integrity’, brought together fintech founders, investors, regulators, and policy leaders for a closed-door conversation on the future of digital finance and regulation in Nigeria.
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According to a statement on Thursday, the meeting served as a listening and feedback forum to help the apex bank deepen its understanding of industry dynamics and co-create policies that balance innovation with prudent oversight.
Addressing stakeholders at the event, Cardoso said the CBN is focused on building an environment where new ideas can thrive while maintaining the trust 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 said.
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“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.”
According to the statement, participants at the meeting held discussions in five key areas, including innovation and responsible growth, infrastructure and interoperability, legal and policy enablement, compliance and financial integrity, and market confidence and sustainable capital flows.
The event was said to have ended with a joint commitment by the CBN and fintech leaders to sustain continuous engagement, aligning regulatory reforms with Nigeria’s broader financial innovation agenda.
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