Business

Nigeria approves national blockchain Policy to drive digital economy

The new blockchain policy aligns with Nigeria’s digital transformation agenda.

Published

3 years ago

May 5, 2023

OhiBaba

352 Views

Nigeria’s Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy (FMCDE) has approved the National Blockchain Policy as the country doubles down on creating a blockchain-powered economy.

The adoption of the policy by the government will pave the way for the formal utilization of the technology in the country, which has seen significant crypto adoption in recent years. The FMCDE believes its implementation will have a positive effect on both the public and private sectors in Nigeria.

Blockchain Adoption

The latest push towards blockchain has also been prompted by Nigeria’s efforts to move away from its heavy economic reliance on the oil and gas sector and instead allow the economy to “leapfrog” into one driven by digital technologies.

As such, the Federal Ministry of Communications and Digital Economy developed the National Blockchain Policy to diversify the economy on behalf of the federal government. This is in line with the National Digital Economy Policy and Strategy (NDEPS), which was unveiled by President Muhammadu Buhari in November 2019.

Subsequently, the first draft of the policy released in October 2020 outlined the strategy and stated that it aligns with the 8 pillars of the ‘DIGITAL NIGERIA’ Roadmap of the FMCDE. They focus on – Developmental Regulation, Digital Literacy & Skills, Solid Infrastructure, Service Infrastructure, Digital Services Development & Promotion, Soft Infrastructure, Digital Society & Emerging technologies, and finally, Indigenous Content Development and Adoption.

“The vision of the Policy is to create a Blockchain-powered economy that supports secure transactions, data sharing, and value exchange between people, businesses, and Government, thereby enhancing innovation, trust, growth, and prosperity for all. The implementation of the National Blockchain Policy will have a positive effect on both the public and private sectors of the country.”

The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) will be tasked with coordinating the policy initiatives under the oversight of the FMCDE. The authorities have also set up a multisectoral steering committee to monitor policy implementation.

The Federal Executive Council, on the other hand, directed relevant regulatory bodies – NITDA, Nigeria’s Central Bank, the National Universities Commission, the Securities and Exchange Commission, and the Nigerian Communications Commission to develop regulatory structures for blockchain implementation across various sectors of the economy.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s SEC plans to support tokenization, with the main focus being real-world assets such as equities, bonds, and real estate. Cryptocurrency, however, is not on the roadmap.

Earlier this year, the country witnessed a cash shortage that led to violent protests, leaving countless citizens injured and a few dead. Nigerians have flocked to cryptocurrencies to hedge against current inflation and dodge the various limitations on naira transactions in online payments. The African country was ranked 11th on the Chainalysis 2022 Global Crypto Adoption Index and 17th for peer-to-peer exchange trade volume.

According to Binance’s West & East Africa Director Nadeem Anjarwalla, the approval of the policy indicates that Nigeria is positioning itself as a nation significantly ahead of the curve. In a statement to CryptoPotato, Anjarwalla commended the all-encompassing approach laid out in the reviewed policy document based on the key initiatives that include establishing a blockchain consortium and strengthening the regulatory and legal framework.

“We believe that growth in blockchain technology is set to become a key differentiator for economies and a key measure of international competitiveness in the next decade for attracting foreign direct investment, cultivating innovation, and creating jobs. As such, this is a welcome development and a significant milestone for the blockchain industry in Nigeria.”

Blockchain Tech Adoption Trajectory

PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) recently published a report extensively analyzing blockchain technology. It observed that blockchain, which happens to be one of the “world’s fastest developing technologies,” could boost the global economy with $1.76 trillion by 2030.

The economists at the finance giant expect the majority of businesses to be leveraging blockchain by 2025. By 2025, blockchain’s GDP is estimated to reach $422 billion.

SOURCE: CryptoPotato

Related Topics:crypto Featured Investment

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Petrol hits N1,371 per litre in Abuja, consumers decry soaring prices

Published

2 hours ago

March 24, 2026

Charles Flames

11 Views

Fuel prices in the Federal Capital Territory have surged sharply, with petrol now selling for as high as N1,371 per litre at some stations, sparking frustration among consumers.

Reports showed NIPCO selling at N1,371 per litre and AYM Shafa at N1,370 per litre. NNPC Retail has also raised its pump price to N1,361 per litre, up from N1,261 per litre last week, while MRS, a Dangote partner station, now charges N1,367 per litre, up from N1,270.

The increases come after Dangote Refinery’s recent gantry price adjustments, marking roughly a 55 per cent rise in petrol prices over the past three weeks.

Earlier hikes included:

March 3: NNPC at N975/litre, AYM Shafa at N960/litre

March 6: NNPC at N1,068/litre, AYM Shafa at N1,098/litre

March 9: NNPC climbed from N1,161 to N1,267/litre; AYM Shafa rose from N1,230 to N1,300/litre

Minor dips two days later were short-lived, as prices surged again in subsequent days.

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Dangote Refinery Ship 456,000 tonnes of PMS to African countries in February

The exports arrive at a moment of acute disruption in global energy markets, with several African countries that have historically depended on large refineries in the Persian Gulf now looking to Dangote as an alternative source.

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OCHEFA

39 Views

The Dangote Petroleum Refinery has completed the sale of 12 cargoes of refined petroleum products totalling 456,000 tonnes to neighbouring African countries in February.

In a statement, the Refinery said that the shipments, sold on a free-on-board basis to international traders, have been delivered to Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Tanzania, Ghana, and Togo — a spread that signals the refinery’s ambitions extend well beyond its West African neighbourhood.

“This accomplishment underscores the Dangote Refinery’s capability to not only meet but exceed Nigeria’s domestic fuel demands.”

The refinery has framed its regional role in pointed terms, describing West Africa as a market long regarded as “a dumping ground for lower-quality fuels” and positioning its Euro 5-standard gasoline and diesel as a corrective to that history.

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Moniepoint buys Orda to capture Africa’s $50bn restaurant economy

Founded in 2020, Orda built software designed for small and independent restaurants that previously operated without digital systems.

Published

23 hours ago

March 23, 2026

OCHEFA

43 Views

Photo: Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint co-founder and group CEO

Nigerian fintech company Moniepoint Inc. has acquired restaurant management startup Orda Africa in a move aimed at expanding its reach into Africa’s fast-growing food service industry, a sector estimated to be worth about $50 billion across the continent.

BusinessDay reports that the deal integrates Orda’s cloud-based restaurant software into Moniepoint’s business management platform, Moniebook, allowing food vendors and restaurants to manage orders, payments, inventory and accounting from a single system.

The acquisition highlights a wider shift among African fintech firms that are moving beyond payments to offer operational tools and credit to small businesses, especially those in the informal economy.

Tosin Eniolorunda, Moniepoint co-founder and group CEO, said that the food sector represents one of the most active but underserved parts of Africa’s economy.

“The food industry is a major source of jobs and daily survival for many Africans,” Eniolorunda said, adding that many businesses still rely on manual processes and disconnected tools.

The move reflects a growing competition among financial technology firms to control the digital infrastructure behind small businesses, particularly restaurants, which generate frequent transactions and require working capital.

Africa’s food service market is expanding quickly as urban populations grow and more consumers eat outside the home.

Nigeria alone is projected to see its restaurant market reach about $19.3 billion by 2030, growing at an annual rate of more than 11 percent.

Founded in 2020, Orda built software designed for small and independent restaurants that previously operated without digital systems.

The company’s tools help businesses track orders, manage kitchen workflows and monitor stock levels.

Guy Futi, Orda CEO, said joining Moniepoint would allow the company to connect operational data from restaurants with financial services such as payments and credit.

“To truly transform the industry, we needed to connect that expertise with comprehensive financial infrastructure,” Futi said, adding that customers would continue to use the platform while gaining access to new services.