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Nigerian Central Bank Hikes Key Interest Rate Just Days After Naira Plunges to New Low
28.9.2022
Following the latest meeting of the monetary policy committee, the Central Bank of Nigeria says it has hiked the monetary policy rate to 15.5%. By increasing the key interest rate by 150 basis points, the central bank hopes to “narrow the negative real interest rate gap and rein...
Nigerian Inflation Rate Rises to 20.52% in August — Month-on-Month Rate Drops
19.9.2022
While Nigeria’s year-on-year inflation rose for the seventh straight month to 20.52% in August 2022, the latest data from Nigeria’s National Bureau of Statistics shows that the month-on-month rate declined from 1.82% to 1.77% during the same period. The depreciation of the local...
Nigerian Blockchain Startup Bitmama Closes $2 Million Pre-Seed Round
11.9.2022
After raising $1.65 million via a pre-seed extension, Bitmama, a Nigeria-based blockchain startup, has now closed its pre-seed funding round at $2 million, a report has said. Leading the funding round were two Africa-focused venture capital firms: Unicorn Growth Capital and Launch Africa....
Nigerian Presidential Candidate Says Fixed Exchange Rate Regime ‘Has to End’ — Touts Success of Fintech Unicorn Flutterwave
6.9.2022
A Nigerian presidential election candidate, Peter Obi, has said the local currency’s exchange rate against the dollar must not be fixed but must be determined “by the forces of demand and supply.” Pointing to the success of the Nigerian fintech Flutterwave, the candidate said...
Binance Partners With Nigerian Authorities to Launch Dubai-Like Digital Economic Zone
5.9.2022
Major crypto exchange Binance is expanding its presence in Africa by launching a partnership with Nigeria’s authorities to build a Dubai-like digital economic zone. ...
Read More: Binance Partners With Nigerian Authorities to Launch Dubai-Like Digital Economic Zone
Fintech Unicorn Flutterwave Granted ‘Game Changing’ License by Nigerian Central Bank
3.9.2022
The Nigerian fintech Flutterwave has said the switching and processing license it recently received from the Central Bank of Nigeria allows it to “deliver an improved experience to our customers.” The new license is said to allow Flutterwave to “connect every single store...
Nigerian Central Bank Slashes CBDC Transaction Fees by 50%
30.8.2022
The Central Bank of Nigeria has said it is slashing transaction fees for the e-naira platform by 50% — a move which the bank claims will increase the volume of transactions on the central bank digital currency (CBDC) platform. The central bank also believes that wider adoption of the CBDC...
Zugacoin Controversy: Supposed Poverty Eradicating Cryptocurrency Criticized as Just Another Complex Nigerian Ponzi Scheme
27.8.2022
After reports that merchants and holders of “Zugacoin” cryptocurrency are unable to make withdrawals, the founder of the Nigerian crypto, Sam Zuga responded by accusing unnamed “ignorant people” of working to tarnish the project. One Nigerian expert has advised...
Nigerian BTC Peer-to-Peer Volumes Nearly $400M in H1 of 2022 — Significant Growth in Kenya and Ghana Volumes
25.8.2022
Nigeria’s peer-to-peer bitcoin traded volumes of over $1.1 billion between January 2021 and June 2022 mean the West African nation is now Paxful’s largest market. Kenya, which saw traded volumes of over $325 million during the same period, now ranks as the crypto exchange’s...
Report: Nigerian Central Bank Targets Tenfold Increase in Number of CBDC Users, Governor Says Use of Cash Will ‘Dissipate to Zero’
23.8.2022
Despite the apparent slow embrace of the e-naira digital currency by Nigerians, the Central Bank of Nigeria governor has said his institution is targeting a tenfold increase in the number of users of the digital currency in the next twelve months. The governor predicted that the use of cash will...
Binance CEO’s Warning About Wazirx Wallets, Nigerian EFCC on Naira Depreciation, O’Leary Buys the Dip — Bitcoin.com News Week in Review
14.8.2022
Another week has passed and developments in the Binance-Wazirx controversy continue, Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) claims it has identified individuals fueling the naira’s depreciation, Shark Tank star Kevin O’Leary says crypto “desperately...
US Venture Capital Firm Leads New Investment in Nigerian Startup Teamapt
14.8.2022
The United States-based venture capital (VC) firm, QED Investors, recently led an investment round that raised more than $50 million for the Nigerian fintech Teamapt. The investment, as well as the VC firm’s hiring of personnel tasked with spearheading its investments in Africa, seem...
Flutterwave Kenya License Controversy: Fintech Giant Reportedly Applied in 2019
11.8.2022
The Nigerian fintech unicorn, Flutterwave, reportedly said it submitted an application for a payment service provider license to the Central Bank of Kenya back in 2019. The fintech also said it has remained in constant contact with the central bank and is hopeful it will get the license....
Report: Nigerian Anti-Graft Body Identifies Individuals Fueling the Naira’s Rapid Depreciation
9.8.2022
Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently claimed it had identified individuals and organizations whose rapid accumulation of U.S. dollars recently accelerated the depreciation of the local currency, a report said. According to Abdulrasheed Bawa, the EFCC chairman...
Nigerian Currency Recovers Versus US Dollar — Central Bank Says Importers Must Repatriate Forex Earnings
6.8.2022
After touching a new all-time low of N710 per dollar in late July, a new report says the Nigerian currency has rebounded by as much as 10%. After initially blaming speculators, the Central Bank of Nigeria has said importers who fail to remit forex earnings may be contributing to the naira’s...
Speculators and Crypto Traders Blamed for Naira’s Plunge, Kenyan Institutions Told to End Dealings With Nigerian Fintechs, CAR Token Sale off to Slow Start
4.8.2022
In this week’s Africa news highlights, the Nigerian central bank blames speculators for causing the local currency’s plunge to a new all-time low on the parallel market. In Kenya, the central bank has told financial institutions to cease having dealings with two Nigerian fintechs...
Nigerian Central Bank Told to Consider Floating the Naira, Recent Interest Rate Hike Slammed
2.8.2022
The Central Bank of Nigeria should be discontinuing the fixed exchange rate system and let the naira freely float against the major currencies, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, the leader of a Nigerian association of bureau de change operators has said. The leader also slammed the recent adjustment of...
Kenya Central Bank Orders Financial Institutions to Stop Dealing With Two Nigerian Fintechs
1.8.2022
In a letter addressed to the CEOs of financial institutions, the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) has said financial institutions operating in the country must cease and desist from dealing with two Nigerian fintechs, Flutterwave and Chipper Cash. The letter reiterates the CBK governor Patrick Njoroge...
Nigerian Currency Plunges to New All Time Low — Central Bank Blames Speculators
30.7.2022
The Nigerian central bank has accused currency speculators of being behind the local currency’s recent plunge to a new all-time low of N710 against the greenback. The leader of a Nigerian association of bureau de change operators insisted crypto trading may be to blame for the naira’s...
Nigerian Lenders Frustrating CBDC’s Adoption — Central Bank Governor
21.7.2022
Apathetic Nigerian lenders are frustrating the e-naira’s adoption because they are worried this could deprive them of a key revenue source, Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, has said. Emefiele said the central bank is working on a channel that would enable...