Intelligence

A pattern is emerging, one where private-owned monies are being diverted for public borrowing without the notice or express consent of the legal owners. In August 2026, President Bola Tinubu proposed the use of unclaimed dividends and dormant accounts funds to fund the Nigerian Education Loan Fund (“NELFUND”). Dr. Maruf Alausa, the Minister of Education, informed the public that cross ministerial efforts have commenced between the Ministries of Education, Finance and office of the Attorney-General of the Federation towards removing legal hurdles and operationalising this directive.2

Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission has proposed comprehensive rules for online Forex trading and Contracts for Difference (CFDs), establishing a regulatory framework that extends beyond brokers to encompass technology and platform providers. The proposed regulations introduce stringent capital requirements, operational standards, and compliance obligations for businesses providing trading infrastructure, raising critical questions about registration, data localization

Blended finance, is a smart investment method that combines money from the government or charities with private business capital. Its main goal is to push private investment into "frontier" or emerging markets and places that businesses usually avoid because they seem too risky or do not offer high enough returns.

Nigeria's Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund offers a $700 million opportunity for indigenous shipowners, but accessing these funds requires far more than completing an application form. Understanding what lenders evaluate—from repayment capacity and corporate structure to security arrangements and vessel revenue streams—can mean the difference between a rejected application and successful financing.

Nigeria's Securities and Exchange Commission has released comprehensive proposed rules governing digital and virtual asset operations, introducing distinct regulatory categories for exchanges, custodians, and tokenisation platforms. The framework establishes capital requirements ranging from ₦200 million to ₦2 billion, detailed stablecoin reserve requirements, and enhanced investor protection measures across the digital asset value chain. Businesses operating in Nigeria's digital asset ecosystem

Nigeria's Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund was designed to avoid the failures of its predecessor, the Ship Acquisition and Ship Building Fund, which collapsed in the 1990s due to widespread defaults and poor enforcement practices. This briefing examines why vessel arrest, though legally available, should be treated as a last resort rather than a first response when CVFF loans enter distress, and how alternative recovery mechanisms can preserve the fund's revolving capital structure.