Financial inclusion must go beyond access to improve Nigerians well-being, Stakeholders say.
Stakeholders in Nigeria’s financial sector have called for a shift in the country’s financial inclusion agenda from expanding access to financial services to measuring whether such services improve the financial well-being and resilience of Nigerians.
The stakeholders, speaking at the launch of the 2026 Access to Financial Services (A2F) survey report by Enhancing Financial Innovation and Access (EFInA) in Abuja on Wednesday, said having bank accounts, digital financial platforms and agents would have limited impact if Nigerians remained financially stressed and unable to withstand economic shocks.
The 2026 A2F survey found that overall financial inclusion stood at 79 percent, while formal financial inclusion was 73 percent. However, only 25 percent of Nigerian adults were financially healthy, underscoring the gap between access to formal financial services and improved financial outcomes.
Representing Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Aisha Isa Olatinwo, director, Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, said the survey should serve as an accountability instrument for policymakers, regulators and financial service providers.
The 2026 A2F survey found that overall financial inclusion stood at 79 percent, while formal financial inclusion was 73 percent. However, only 25 percent of Nigerian adults were financially healthy, underscoring the gap between access to formal financial services and improved financial outcomes.
Representing Olayemi Cardoso, governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Aisha Isa Olatinwo, director, Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion at the CBN, said the survey should serve as an accountability instrument for policymakers, regulators and financial service providers.