Nigerian Files Lawsuit to Overturn Crypto Ban, Seeks BTC Commodity Status

A Nigerian bitcoin proponent has launched a lawsuit challenging government restrictions on owning, using, and trading digital assets. The proponent said the lawsuit seeks to remove the blockade on cryptocurrency exchanges, ensuring all Nigerians have unrestricted access. Crypto Restrictions Deny Residents Access to Inflation Hedging Tools Nigerian cryptocurrency advocate James Utudor filed a landmark lawsuit … Read more

Chairman of Nigerian Economic Crimes Commission: Crypto Growth Is a ‘Far Greater Danger to the World Economy’

The chairman of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Abdulrasheed Bawa, has singled out the growth of cryptocurrencies as something that now poses “a far greater danger to the world economy.” Therefore, in order to deal with such dangers or threats, Bawa advocates for a “collective and collaborative approach by authorities around the world.” … Read more

Official Remittances to Nigeria Plummet by Almost 40% in a Year When Crypto Use Surged

According to the latest data from the World Bank, international money transfers into Nigeria dropped by nearly 40% from $23.8 billion recorded in 2019 to $17.2 billion in the past year. Yet despite this fall, remittances, which account for 4% of the country’s GDP, still remain an important source of foreign exchange for the oil-rich … Read more

Nigerian Regulator Issues ‘Extreme Caution’ Crypto Investments Warning

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has become the latest body to warn of risks associated with cryptocurrency investments. In a public warning, the law enforcement agency argues that investing in cryptos “is a high-risk activity as the terrain is largely unregulated and prone to fraud.” Proliferation of Scams According to a report that … Read more

Central Bank of Nigeria Governor Defends Decision to Exclude Crypto Players, Says the Order Is ‘in the Best Interests of Nigerians’

The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele has defended the apex bank’s decision to exclude cryptocurrency transactions from the banking ecosystem. In his testimony before the Nigerian Senate, Emefiele claimed that the February 5 directive is “in the best interests of Nigerians.” Crypto Not Money Immediately following the announcement of the … Read more

Nigeria Crypto Ban: Stakeholder Body, Politicians Assail Central Bank’s Directive to Financial Institutions

A body representing cryptocurrency and blockchain stakeholders in Nigeria has joined other crypto industry players in assailing the recent Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive to banks. The CBN order, which seeks snuff out crypto entities from the banking system, took effect on February 5, 2020. Not Just a Mere Reiteration In a statement, the … Read more

African Hip Hop Artist Davido ‘Thinking of Starting a Bitcoin Trading Company’

Popular Nigerian hip hop artist Davido has sparked off a buzz about crypto assets after tweeting about his intention to start a bitcoin trading company. With the short tweet, Davido becomes the latest African celebrity to express interest in starting a crypto business. Senegalese singer Akon is another prominent African personality to embrace crypto assets. … Read more

Nigeria Is Paxful’s Second Biggest P2P Bitcoin Market, Trades Top $566 Million in Five Years

Nigeria, Africa’s biggest economy and most populous nation, traded more than $566 million worth of bitcoin between 2015 and 2020, making it the world’s second-largest peer-to-peer (P2P) bitcoin market after the U.S., which traded $3.75 billion in the period under review. According to an analysis of bitcoin trading platform Paxful’s database shared with news.Bitcoin.com, Nigeria … Read more