President Bola Tinubu has signed the Presidential Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination, 2026, establishing a new framework to harmonize crypto-asset regulation in Nigeria. The move aims to curb fraud and financial risks without creating a new regulator or altering existing agency mandates.

The order establishes a Virtual Asset Council, chaired by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), with the Nigeria Revenue Service (NRS) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) serving as vice-chairs. The Council will coordinate supervision among key agencies, including the NFIU and the Office of the National Security Adviser.

Under this new framework, the CBN will launch a regulatory sandbox to test digital products, while the NRS is set to introduce a tax policy for the sector. Operators will register their activities with either the SEC or the CBN, depending on whether the assets are classified as securities or payment and settlement services. The government is also developing a long-term policy roadmap through a forthcoming Virtual Assets White Paper.