Cardoso Shines On Continental Stage

The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, has been named the Central Bank Governor of the Year at the esteemed 2025 African Banker Awards, held on Wednesday, May 28, in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.

Presented by African Banker magazine, the accolade recognizes Cardoso’s decisive and visionary leadership in spearheading transformative monetary and regulatory reforms that have significantly restored stability and investor confidence in Nigeria’s financial architecture.

In its official citation, the Awards Committee commended the CBN under Cardoso’s helm for enacting critical policies that stabilized the naira, enhanced transparency in the foreign exchange market, and reinstated the credibility of monetary policy. These measures, the committee noted, have laid a robust groundwork for sustainable macroeconomic growth and long-term financial resilience.

Dr. Nkiru Balonwu, Adviser to the Governor on Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Communication, accepted the award on Cardoso’s behalf. She was accompanied by the Bank’s Director of Monetary Policy, Dr. Victor Oboh; Director of Banking Supervision, Dr. Olubukola Akinwumi; and Monetary Policy Committee member, Dr. Aloysius Uche Ordu.

The organisers stated, “This 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 Nigeria’s economy for sustainable growth.”

Now in its 19th year, the African Banker Awards are organised by African Banker magazine in partnership with the African Development Bank Group. The annual event gathers senior government officials, banking executives, and leaders of development finance institutions from across Africa to celebrate outstanding contributions to the continent’s financial sector.

Africa Today News, New York