In a strategic move to woo global capital and enhance investors’ confidence, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) led a high-level delegation to the Nasdaq MarketSite in New York on April 17, 2025.
The investment forum, organised in partnership with JPMorgan and the African Private Capital Association (AVCA), brought together a cross-section of global investors, members of the Nigerian diaspora, and senior corporate executives to examine the country’s economic outlook and reform trajectory.
The event served as a critical platform for showcasing Nigeria’s renewed push toward financial stability and transparency, with the Governor of the Central Bank, Olayemi Cardoso, offering a clear vision for the country’s monetary direction during a fireside chat with Nobel Prize-winning economist Dr. James Robinson.
Cardoso spoke candidly about the challenges inherited by the current administration, describing them as a ‘crisis of confidence,’ but was unequivocal in his message that the CBN had chosen a new, disciplined path marked by market-friendly reforms and enhanced transparency. “We’re not turning back,” he declared to resounding applause, underlining the bank’s resolve to build a more stable, investor-centric economy.
Throughout the conversation, Cardoso emphasised the need for deep collaboration between regulatory bodies like the CBN, market institutions such as NGX Group, and the Nigerian diaspora.
According to him, such partnerships are essential to mobilising long-term investments, strengthening the financial system, and positioning Nigeria as a credible and attractive destination for global capital.
Building on that message, the CBN’s Deputy Governor for Economic Policy, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, presented a detailed overview of Nigeria’s financial sector transformation and ongoing foreign exchange reforms.
His remarks highlighted the key structural shifts underway, from enhanced monetary discipline to increased flexibility in FX markets, all aimed at building investor trust and macroeconomic resilience.
Adding depth to the conversation was a robust panel discussion titled “Repricing Nigeria: Assessing the Scope for Sustained Change,” which featured senior executives from global financial giants including JPMorgan Chase, Standard Chartered, Citi, and Jadara Capital Partners.
The panel assessed the implications of Nigeria’s reforms and explored the conditions necessary for unlocking sustained foreign investment flows.
The Group Managing Director and CEO of NGX Group, Temi Popoola, moderated the panel, steering the dialogue toward the broader significance of policy consistency and market innovation.
Popoola noted that Nigeria’s reform efforts are beginning to shift global perceptions, stating that, “Today’s dialogue marks a pivotal step in reshaping the investment story of Nigeria.”
He reaffirmed the NGX Group’s commitment to enabling reforms that not only enhance market structures but also drive innovation and promote inclusive economic growth.
While participants acknowledged the positive momentum in Nigeria’s policy environment, they also stressed that investor confidence hinges on more than rhetoric.
They called for consistency in foreign exchange policies, a reduction in transaction and regulatory costs, greater clarity on non-oil revenue strategies, improved ease of doing business, and more transparent monetary and fiscal communication.
Despite these caveats, the mood at the forum was notably optimistic. There was a shared sense among stakeholders that Nigeria stands on the brink of a new chapter, one defined by deeper integration into global financial markets and the possibility of sustained economic transformation, provided the current reform trajectory remains uninterrupted.
