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Nigerian CBDC Still Not Widely Used a Year After Launch
27.10.2022
On October 25, Nigeria commemorated the first anniversary of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s e-naira, even as more residents continue to snub the digital currency. In a move aimed at boosting the use of the CBDC, the central bank is offering a 5% discount to motorized rickshaw drivers...
Nigerian Presidential Hopeful’s Party Says It Will Review Country’s Blockchain and Crypto Policy if Elected
23.10.2022
The party of the Nigerian presidential hopeful Asiwaju Bola Tinubu has promised to set up an advisory committee to review regulations that govern blockchain and virtual asset services if it wins in the upcoming elections. The All Progressives Congress also said it “will work with the Central...
Forex Shortages Blamed After Nigerian Currency Hits New Low Versus the US Dollar
3.10.2022
A surge in the demand for foreign exchange and the general scarcity of the resource may be the reasons why the naira currency recently slumped to a new all-time low of 735 versus the U.S. dollar, a report has said. One Nigerian currency dealer said he expects the naira to further depreciate to...
Kenyan Central Bank Raises Key Rate by 75 Basis Points
2.10.2022
The monetary policy committee of the Kenyan central bank recently revealed it increased the central bank rate by 75 basis points from 7.5% to 8.25%. Justifying its decision to act, the committee cites growing inflationary pressures and increased global risks, as well as their likely impact on...
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...
Kenyan Central Bank Says It’s ‘Craziness’ to Convert Country’s Reserves to Bitcoin
25.9.2022
The Kenyan central bank governor Patrick Njoroge has described as “craziness” the calls to convert Kenya’s reserves into bitcoin. He added that he would have to be out of his mind before agreeing to this. Njoroge argued that cryptocurrencies like bitcoin are not only volatile...
Report: Legal Experts Say Nigeria in Need of ‘Clear-Cut Guidelines’ for Crypto Industry
8.9.2022
Authorities in Nigeria have been told to consider upgrading the country’s cryptocurrency regulatory guidelines because current regulations are not consistent with the realities on the ground. According to legal experts, the growing interest in cryptocurrencies by Nigerians means the country...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Nigerian Central Bank Governor Says Fintechs and Cryptos Change the Way Financial Systems Function
19.7.2022
The Nigerian central bank governor and bitcoin critic, Godwin Emefiele, recently remarked that the rise of fintechs and cryptocurrencies among other technologies have forced banks and financial institutions to change the way they operate. According to Emefiele, this requires the central...
Report: Nigerian Central Bank Incentive Scheme Failed to Halt Naira Depreciation
7.7.2022
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’s attempt to incentivize the country’s forex market through the so-called “Naira for Dollar” scheme has failed. This is evidenced by the local currency’s plunge of more than 25% since the launch of the incentive scheme in March...
CBDC Ensures Nigeria Remains Competitive in Increasingly Digital World — Central Bank Governor
26.6.2022
The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has insisted the recently introduced e-naira digital currency can potentially boost trade and investment activities in the country. He added the digital currency “would be necessary in the future to ensure Nigeria is competitive as the world...