The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is ramping up financial sector reforms, prioritising financial inclusion as macroeconomic stability takes hold.
CBN Deputy Governor, Emem Usoro, highlighted this shift during Citibank’s inaugural Women in Central Banking event in London, emphasising the role of financial access in driving economic growth, particularly for women-led businesses and underserved communities.
A CBN study revealed a nine percent gender gap in access to finance, citing low trust in financial service providers and limited financial literacy as major barriers. To address these challenges, the bank established a Gender Desk within its Financial Inclusion Unit and launched initiatives such as the Women Entrepreneurs Finance (WE-FI) Code Commitment and the Framework for Advancing Women’s Financial Inclusion in Nigeria (FAWFIN).
Usoro reaffirmed the CBN’s commitment to data-driven policies that expand credit access, enhance financial literacy, and support fintech-driven solutions, urging collaboration among stakeholders to bridge the inclusion gap.
