E-Financial
Interswitch Unveils Whitepaper on Blockchain Technology

Africa’s leading integrated digital payment and e-commerce company, Interswitch Group, has unveiled its whitepaper on blockchain technology titled “Blockchain Technology: The Future of Africa’s Digital Economy” to help drive the growth of African businesses.
The white paper document contains details on how businesses can leverage blockchain technology to transform their businesses and the prospects it portends for the future of Africa’s digital economy.
The blockchain technology is a digital ledger that stores transactions. Essentially, it is a digital system for recording transactions in multiple places at the same time thereby making it impossible to falsify the data stored on it.
Akeem Lawal, Managing Director, Transaction Switching and Payment Processing at Interswitch commented, “The whitepaper document was inspired by the need to demystify the ambiguity around blockchain technology for African businesses thereby driving digitization and socio-economic growth across African markets.
We are passionate about empowering Africans and advancing the African payment landscape, and we are consistently identifying opportunities and exploring innovative ways to enable businesses transform and scale.”
He revealed that the whitepaper document encapsulates the benefits of blockchain technology and how it will help strengthen businesses because of its efficiency, better security in keeping records and safety.
He further said: “While the blockchain technology is a relatively new phenomenon in Nigeria and Africa, we are particularly excited about our partnership with Interstellar with whom we are developing a native blockchain infrastructure that is tailored to suit the African market. This initiative will deepen digital payment, lower the cost of local and cross border payment as well as champion the cause for localization of emerging technology”.
He urged everyone to read the whitepaper document because it addresses existing challenges in the Fintech sector and simplifies the use of blockchain technology in unravelling these challenges.
The blockchain technology is evolving globally and businesses are integrating the Blockchain technology into their business infrastructure.
E-Financial
SEC Working on Stablecoin Regulation Framework

Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is working with developers to establish a regulatory framework for stablecoins, according to Dr. Emomotimi Agama, director-general, SEC.
Agama made this announcement during his keynote speech at the 2025 Decentralized Finance (DeFi) Conference.
Agama said the SEC’s commitment is to foster a responsible decentralized finance environment.
“The commission believes responsible DeFi can thrive in a regulated environment,” he said, highlighting the SEC’s efforts to enhance investor education through its “Crypto Smart, Nigeria Strong” initiative.
The program aims to educate young investors across schools, universities, and social media on blockchain basics, scam detection, and long-term investing benefits.
The SEC is also focusing on regulatory evolution, with plans to streamline its licensing regime.
“We are enhancing our licensing architecture to make it more efficient, more transparent, and more risk-based,” Agama noted.
The commission is exploring a framework for naira-pegged stablecoins, backed by verifiable reserves and audited by independent custodians, to facilitate cross-border trade and programmable finance.
It is also reviewing pathways for digital asset Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), custodial wallets for pension funds, and tokenized securities for institutional investors.
E-Financial
CBN Issues Transitional Guidance, Says Banks are Healthy

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced time-bound measures for a small number of banks still completing their transition from the temporary regulatory support provided.
The CBN stated yesterday that this step is a response to the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This step, the CBN said, is part of its broader, sequenced strategy to implement the recapitalisation programme announced in 2023.
CBN disclosed that the programme, which aligns with Nigeria’s long-term growth ambitions, has already led to significant capital inflows and balance sheet strengthening across the sector.
It said most banks have either completed or are on track to meet the new capital requirements well before the final implementation deadline of March 31, 2026.
It added that the measures announced apply only to a limited number of banks saying that these include temporary restrictions on capital distributions, such as dividends and bonuses, to support the retention of internally generated funds and bolster capital adequacy.
A statement by Mrs Hakama Sidi Ali, acting director, Corporate Communication of the apex bank, explained that all the affected banks have been formally notified and remain under close supervisory engagement.
“To support a smooth transition, the CBN has allowed limited, time-bound flexibility within the capital framework, consistent with international regulatory norms. Nigeria generally maintains Risk-Based Capital requirements that are significantly more stringent than the global Basel III minimums.
“These adjustments reflect a well-established supervisory process consistent with global norms. Regulators in the U.S., Europe, and other major markets have implemented similar transitional measures as part of post-crisis reform efforts,” the bank stated.
It further added that it remains fully committed to continuous engagement with stakeholders throughout this period via the Bankers’ Committee, the Body of Bank CEOs, and other industry forums.
The goal is to ensure a transparent, predictable, and collaborative regulatory environment.
It assured that Nigeria’s banking sector remains fundamentally strong, explaining that the new measures are neither unusual nor cause for concern; they are a continuation of the orderly and deliberate implementation of reforms already underway.
E-Financial
Loan Defaulters Risk Denial of Passport Renewal, Others- CREDICORP

Uzoma Nwagba, managing director, Nigeria Consumer Credit Corporation (CREDICORP), has announced that failure to repay loans may soon affect citizens’ access to essential services such as passport renewal, driver’s licence issuance, and even renting a home.
Nwagba disclosed this on Tuesday during a ‘Meet the Press’ session organised by the Presidential Media Team at the State House in Abuja.
According to the CREDICORP boss, the Federal Government was working to link individual credit scores directly to the National Identification Number (NIN), as part of efforts to build a centralised and reliable credit system across the country.
He said all loan providers, whether commercial banks, FinTechs, or microfinance institutions, will be mandated to report loan performance, ensuring every Nigerian has an accurate and traceable credit score.
“Maybe you want to renew your passport, but if something shows that you owe money somewhere, you may not be able to proceed,” he said.
“The same applies to renewing your driver’s license or renting a house. There is no hiding place.”
He clarified that the new policy will not be predatory but will impose subtle and structured consequences on defaulters.
“Whether your money is in a commercial bank, FinTech, or microfinance institution, loans taken and not repaid will be tracked and recoverable,” he added.
Nwagba explained that the goal was to ensure that every Nigerian is scored, using a structural algorithm that considers both financial and non-financial data.
CREDICORP’s mandate, he said, includes improving quality of life, reducing corruption driven by financial desperation, and strengthening local industries by enabling Nigerians to access consumer credit to buy locally made goods.
“The President has made it clear that improving lives is a top priority. If people can access credit responsibly, it reduces the pressure that pushes them into corruption or financial missteps. At the same time, it drives demand for Nigerian products and helps create jobs,” he stated.
The CREDICORP boss also revealed plans to roll out a nationwide consumer credit programme targeting 400,000 young Nigerians, beginning with National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members under the YouthCred scheme.
According to him, the programme’s systems and platforms are fully set up, for imminent official launch.
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