Mkpoikana Udoma
Port Harcourt — The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has reaffirmed Nigeria’s commitment to macroeconomic stability and regulatory transparency as key drivers for attracting long-term foreign capital, during a high-level meeting with British International Investment, BII, in Abuja.
Cardoso hosted a delegation from BII, led by its Chair, Ms. Diana Layfield, alongside the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Richard Montgomery, as part of ongoing engagements to deepen financial sector reforms and unlock sustainable investment flows into the Nigerian economy.
Speaking during the meeting, the CBN Governor stressed that Nigeria’s reform agenda is firmly anchored on restoring confidence in the financial system and positioning the country as a credible destination for patient capital.
“The Central Bank remains fully committed to macroeconomic stability, credible monetary policy, and a transparent, data-driven regulatory framework,” Cardoso said.
“These reforms are essential to strengthening the resilience of our banking system and improving financial intermediation to support long-term economic growth.”
He noted that ongoing monetary and regulatory reforms are designed to de-risk the investment environment, enhance capital mobilisation, and ensure that financial institutions play a stronger role in funding productive sectors of the economy.
Cardoso described engagements with development finance institutions such as BII as critical to Nigeria’s broader strategy of attracting long-tenor investments that align with national development priorities, particularly in infrastructure, energy transition, and private sector-led growth.
The BII delegation, led by Ms. Layfield, was in Nigeria to explore opportunities for expanding investment partnerships, leveraging the UK government-backed institution’s mandate to support sustainable development and economic transformation in emerging markets.
Also present at the meeting, British High Commissioner Richard Montgomery underscored the UK’s continued interest in Nigeria’s reform trajectory and its evolving financial architecture, noting that policy clarity and institutional credibility are central to deepening bilateral economic cooperation.
The engagement comes amid renewed efforts by the CBN to recalibrate monetary policy, strengthen banking supervision, and restore investor confidence following a period of macroeconomic volatility.
The CBN said it would continue to engage strategic global partners to reinforce reforms, deepen market confidence and mobilise long-term funding critical to Nigeria’s economic recovery and growth.
