Nigeria Sets New Stablecoin Licensing Rules and Capital Requirements

Brief

By Dextape Desk · November 7, 2026

Nigeria's central bank has issued a framework dated November 5 covering non-security virtual assets. It sets up separate stablecoin licences for naira-linked tokens and foreign-currency-backed tokens. Issuers must meet reserve, capital and local-presence obligations, and certain algorithmic designs are barred. Reporting cites minimum paid-up capital of 10 billion naira for naira-linked issuers and 15 billion naira for foreign-currency tokens, and the bank may set higher amounts. Each token also needs approval. The framework also covers payment services, custody and remittances. It applies to activity in or from Nigeria, aimed at residents, or materially affecting local systems, and physical absence is no automatic exemption. Anti-money-laundering checks, sanctions screening and customer disclosures are also required.

Why it matters: Nigeria's framework shows that foreign issuers and offshore platforms cannot assume they sit outside its reach.

Summary by Dextape, based on reporting by NewsBTC. Machine-written from NewsBTC’s report and checked against it · How Dextape writes