By Anastasia John E
NEW YORK, NY – Ahead of the crucial 2025 IMF & World Bank Spring Meetings, Nigeria took center stage in the global financial arena, hosting a high-level investment forum at the Nasdaq MarketSite on April 17th. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with J.P. Morgan and the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX), presented “The Nigeria Investment Agenda: Pathways for Growth & Global Partnerships,” aiming to reignite investor confidence and showcase the nation’s reform progress.
Led by Governor Olayemi Cardoso, the CBN detailed its 18-month reform journey, emphasizing monetary tightening, enhanced FX market transparency, and robust financial governance. This strategic shift signals a clear commitment to long-term macroeconomic stability and a new era of openness.
The forum served as a platform to engage critical voices, review achievements, and chart the course for sustainable partnerships and long-term capital inflow. Governor Cardoso underscored the CBN’s resolute goal: to reclaim its position as a credible and globally respected institution.
Deputy Governor Muhammad Sani Abdullahi delivered an encouraging macroeconomic update, highlighting a significant surge in FX turnover, early indications of disinflation, and a strengthening of Nigeria’s external reserves. He emphasized that a market-determined exchange rate coupled with a transparent, rules-based policy framework is gradually restoring faith in the Nigerian economy.
A high-powered panel discussion, “Repricing Nigeria: Assessing the Scope for Sustained Change,” featured prominent global financial leaders including Joyce Chang (JPMorgan Chase), Jason Rekate (Citi), Razia Khan (Standard Chartered), and Ahmad Zuaiter (Jadara Capital Partners). Moderated by Gavin Serkin (Frontier Intelligence), the panelists offered insightful perspectives on Nigeria’s investment prospects, noting a renewed international interest driven by improved fundamentals, stronger governance, and clearer policy direction.
In a compelling fireside chat, Governor Cardoso engaged with Nobel laureate Dr. James Robinson, reaffirming the CBN’s unwavering commitment to restoring credibility through orthodox monetary policy, transparency, and consistency. “We inherited a crisis of confidence, but we chose a different path. We’re not turning back,” Governor Cardoso asserted.
The event commenced with opening remarks from Tal Cohen, President of Nasdaq, and was expertly anchored by Dr. Nkiru Balonwu, Adviser on Stakeholder Engagement at the CBN. Temi Popoola, Group CEO of NGX, moderated the engaging Q&A session, while Dr. Olubukola Akinniyi Akinwunmi, Director of the Banking Supervision Department at the CBN, provided the concluding remarks.
The presence of US-based diaspora members of the CBN Board and Monetary Policy Committee – Mr. Robert Agbede, Prof. Melvin Ayogu, and Dr. Aloysius Ordu – underscored the Bank’s commitment to global engagement and leveraging Nigerian talent worldwide. This high-level forum on Wall Street signals Nigeria’s proactive approach to attracting global capital and fostering enduring economic partnerships.
