Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Yemi Cardoso, has been named Central Bank Governor of the Year at the prestigious African Banker Awards 2025, held during the African Development Bank Annual Meetings in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The award by African Banker magazine recognises Governor Cardoso’s “bold and strategic” leadership in steering monetary and regulatory reforms that have restored stability and confidence in Nigeria’s financial system. According to the Awards Committee, the CBN under Cardoso has taken “swift and decisive action to address deep distortions in Nigeria’s foreign exchange market,” while introducing “a clear strategy to tackle inflation.”
The judges credited Cardoso with re-establishing investor confidence by implementing transparency-enhancing reforms and resetting the Bank’s monetary policy framework. These include unifying Nigeria’s exchange rate windows, restoring market-based FX pricing, and introducing measures to restore liquidity in the forex market—steps widely praised by both domestic and international stakeholders.
The award was accepted on behalf of the CBN by Dr. Nkiru Balonwu, Adviser to the Governor on Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Communication.
She was joined on stage by Dr. Victor Oboh, Director of the Monetary Policy Department and Dr. Olubukola Akinwumi, Director of Banking Supervision, and later during the proceedings by Dr. Aloysius Uche Ordu, a member of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee.
“The award reflects the Committee’s recognition of Governor Cardoso’s recent achievements and the Central Bank’s critical role in addressing market imbalances and repositioning the Nigerian economy for sustainable growth,” organisers said.
Now in its 19th year, the African Banker Awards celebrate excellence and innovation in the banking and finance industry.
Organised by African Banker magazine and held under the patronage of the African Development Bank Group, the awards annual draw hundreds of senior decision-makers from across the continent, including central bank governors, ministers, and industry leaders.