Cardoso Engages Nigerian, Chinese Business Leaders to Strengthen Financial Ties
Oru Leonard
BEIJING, CHINA — Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has engaged Nigerian and Chinese business leaders on strategies to strengthen financial connectivity, improve cross-border payments and expand investment opportunities between the two countries.
The engagement took place on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Pan Pacific Beijing during a high-level business and financial roundtable themed “Strengthening the Nigeria–China Financial Corridor.”
The meeting brought together business executives, financial stakeholders and government representatives to examine opportunities for deepening financial relations between Nigeria and China, while identifying practical challenges affecting transactions and investment flows across the two markets.
Cardoso emphasised the importance of engaging directly with businesses to understand the opportunities and constraints shaping financial activities between the two countries.
He noted that feedback from businesses operating across the Nigeria–China corridor would help inform efforts to develop deeper, more accessible financial markets and strengthen financial relationships.
Deputy Governor for Economic Policy at the CBN, Philip Ikeazor, delivered the opening remarks, highlighting the objectives of the engagement and the need to translate improvements in Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals into increased investment and stronger financial markets.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), also addressed participants at the meeting.
Other speakers included the Chairperson of Blue Diamond Group, Festus Mbisiogu, and the Chairperson of CIG Motors, Chief Diana Chen, who shared perspectives from businesses operating across the Nigeria–China economic corridor.
A major feature of the roundtable was an interactive listening session during which participants discussed barriers to financial transactions and opportunities for expanding business activities between Nigeria and China.
Key issues raised included the need for more efficient cross-border payment arrangements, stronger banking connectivity and the potential benefits of increasing the presence of Nigerian banks in China.
Participants also examined ways to facilitate financial flows, improve access to financial services and expand investment opportunities in Nigeria.
The discussions provided an opportunity for businesses to communicate their experiences directly to the CBN leadership and highlight institutional and operational challenges affecting financial transactions between the two economies.
The meeting also featured a presentation on Nigeria’s economic reform progress, improving macroeconomic fundamentals and emerging investment opportunities in the country’s financial markets.
In his closing reflections, Cardoso underscored the importance of translating stakeholder feedback into a clearer understanding of the financial and institutional issues requiring attention.
He said the insights gathered would inform the CBN’s continued engagement with relevant financial institutions and regulatory counterparts, with a focus on practical areas of cooperation within the Bank’s mandate.
The Beijing roundtable forms part of the CBN’s broader strategy to deepen Nigeria’s financial relationships across Asia and strengthen channels for international investment and financial cooperation.
The programme follows engagements in Singapore and at the International Monetary Fund (IMF), and World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, Thailand.
As part of its China programme, the CBN is holding bilateral discussions with the People’s Bank of China, engaging with the leadership of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), and meeting Nigerian and Chinese business representatives.
The programme will also extend to Guangzhou, where the CBN is scheduled to hold a listening session with members of the Nigerian business community.
The Guangzhou engagement is expected to provide further insights into financial challenges confronting Nigerian businesses in China, particularly in relation to remittance channels, cross-border transactions and investment facilitation.
Through these engagements, the CBN is seeking to identify practical measures to strengthen financial cooperation, improve payment connectivity and support trade and investment between Nigeria and China.
