In a high-stakes pitch to international investors, Nigeria’s top financial leaders gathered at the iconic Nasdaq MarketSite in New York on Thursday, April 17, 2025, to present a compelling case for the country’s reform-led economic revival.
The strategic investment forum, hosted in partnership with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group), JPMorgan, and the African Private Capital Association (AVCA), drew a powerful mix of Nigerian diaspora influencers, global fund managers, and institutional decision-makers.
Central Bank Governor Olayemi Cardoso led the country’s charge, participating in a fireside chat with Nobel Prize-winning economist Dr. James Robinson.Cardoso spoke candidly about Nigeria’s monetary policy trajectory, foreign exchange reforms, and the bold decisions being made to steer the nation toward a more stable, investor-friendly climate.
“We inherited a crisis of confidence, but we chose a different path. We’re not turning back,” Cardoso declared, earning applause from a room filled with economists, financiers, and corporate leaders.
Cardoso emphasized that restoring investor trust requires not just sound policy but seamless collaboration. He pointed to a united effort between regulators like the CBN, capital market operators like NGX Group, and Nigerians in the diaspora as key to deepening market resilience and attracting long-term capital.
His message was one of optimism backed by reform discipline, an assurance to stakeholders that Nigeria is laying the groundwork for sustainable economic growth.
Supporting this narrative, Muhammad Sani Abdullahi, Deputy Governor of Economic Policy at the CBN, delivered an in-depth overview of Nigeria’s macroeconomic realignment, FX market liberalization, and the broader financial transformation underway.
The presentation set the stage for a robust panel discussion titled “Repricing Nigeria: Assessing the Scope for Sustained Change,” featuring senior executives from JPMorgan Chase, Standard Chartered, Citi, and Jadara Capital Partners, who offered a global investor lens on Nigeria’s unfolding reform story.
NGX Group CEO Temi Popoola, who moderated the session, positioned Nigeria’s capital market as an increasingly vital channel for international investment flows.“Today’s dialogue marks a pivotal step in reshaping global perceptions of Nigeria’s investment story,” Popoola said.
“The candid engagement between policymakers, market operators, and investors reflects the real progress Nigeria is making. NGX Group remains committed to supporting reforms that strengthen market structures, drive innovation, and accelerate economic growth.”
While the reform agenda was met with cautious optimism, investors emphasized that confidence hinges on sustained consistency. Their expectations were clear: stable FX policies, reduced transaction and regulatory friction, stronger clarity on non-oil revenue generation, improved ease of doing business, and transparent fiscal and monetary communication.
The forum closed on a hopeful note, with participants acknowledging the depth of Nigeria’s potential. The consensus was firm, Nigeria’s path to global capital integration is within reach, but it depends on maintaining the current reform momentum and delivering measurable, market-friendly outcomes.
