There has been a mix of hope and concern surrounding Nigeria's crypto industry as stakeholders in the sector express the lack of clarity under President Bola Tinubu's government's actions and policies over the past year.

President Tinubu's pledge to legalize crypto and blockchain technology in Nigeria's banking and finance sector was welcomed for its potential to bolster the country's fragile economy.

Opinions on Tinubu's Past Year

However, the young resident population in Nigeria is increasingly puzzled by recent actions taken by the administration against the crypto industry. Olumide Adesina, an analyst at Quantum Economics, highlighted the necessity of clarity and support to unleash the industry's potential.

Adesina pointed out the recent crackdown on P2P trading, the arrest of a Binance executive, and the currency manipulation accusations by state officials, which briefly tarnished the industry's reputation despite its significant appeal to Nigeria's youthful population.

Nathaniel Luz, CEO of Flincap – a liquidity platform for crypto exchanges, underlined President Tinubu's opportunity to shape the evolving crypto sector in Nigeria akin to past leaders' influence on the banking sector.

Luz stressed the maturation of the crypto industry and urged the administration to take further action beyond their current efforts.

Crypto Policies in the Past Year

In May 2023, the Nigerian Securities Exchange Commission (SEC) issued regulations concerning digital assets, indicating an effort to find a middle ground between a ban and a lack of regulation.

By December, the Nigerian SEC reversed its ban on banks operating accounts for crypto service providers, aligning with the global trends that emphasized the necessity of regulating activities of VASPs, encompassing cryptocurrencies and assets.

In January, the Central Bank released initial guidelines for banks engaging in cryptocurrency transactions, although trading or holding virtual assets within their portfolios remains prohibited. These guidelines include strict Anti-Money Laundering (AML) and Know Your Customer (KYC) measures, along with setting 'prudent' transaction limits and restricting cash withdrawals from crypto accounts.

By May 2024, Nigeria's government was gearing up to introduce new regulations prohibiting peer-to-peer cryptocurrency exchanges involving the national currency, the Nigerian naira.