The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has unveiled plans to develop a comprehensive regulatory framework for stablecoins, marking a major step toward enabling cross-border payments, programmable finance, and wider adoption of digital assets in Nigeria.
The announcement was made by SEC Director-General, Emomotimi Agama, during his keynote address at the 2025 Decentralised Finance Conference held in Lagos. According to Agama, the framework currently being co-designed with key industry developers will initially focus on naira-pegged stablecoins fully backed by transparent, verifiable reserves and subject to independent audits.
“The future of Nigeria’s digital assets ecosystem depends on three pillars: collaboration, innovation, and trust,” Agama said, adding that the SEC is committed to cultivating an ecosystem that attracts credible innovators while deterring fraudulent actors through a risk-based licensing approach.
Crypto Education and Youth Inclusion
As part of its broader digital finance strategy, the SEC also launched the “Crypto Smart, Nigeria Strong” campaign a national investor education initiative aimed at young Nigerians. The programme is designed to promote financial literacy around blockchain, help users avoid scams, and encourage long-term investing.
Agama highlighted that over 65% of crypto users in Nigeria are under 35, many of whom remain underserved by traditional banks. For these young Nigerians, digital assets represent a flexible means of saving, investing, and transacting on their own terms.
Expanding the Regulatory Frontier
Beyond stablecoins, the SEC is also reviewing additional pathways to deepen the digital asset market:
- Approval frameworks for digital asset Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs)
- Custodial wallets for pension funds, whose assets currently stand at ₦16 trillion
- Tokenised securities offered by licensed asset managers to institutional investors
These initiatives aim to unlock long-term capital and bring greater legitimacy, transparency, and structure to Nigeria’s rapidly growing crypto and digital finance landscape.
Positioning Nigeria as a Digital Finance Hub
The Commission said its proactive regulatory stance signals Nigeria’s intent to embrace fintech innovation not just as a speculative trend but as a tool for economic growth, financial inclusion, and international competitiveness.
In a related development, the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and the SEC reaffirmed their commitment to deepen cross-border capital market cooperation, particularly with China, as part of ongoing efforts to attract foreign investment and position Nigeria as a leading financial hub in Africa.
