Governor Olayemi Cardoso of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been honored as the Central Bank Governor of the Year at the 2025 African Banker Awards, held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire.
The accolade was presented during a gala event on Wednesday by African Banker magazine, recognizing what the organizers described as Cardoso’s “bold and strategic” monetary and regulatory reforms that have restored confidence and stability in Nigeria’s financial sector.
According to a statement released by the Central Bank on Thursday, the Awards Committee commended Cardoso’s leadership for introducing key policies aimed at stabilizing the naira, enhancing transparency in the foreign exchange market, and restoring the credibility of monetary policy.
“These efforts have laid the groundwork for long-term macroeconomic resilience and renewed investor confidence,” the statement added.
Accepting the award on behalf of the CBN governor was Nkiru Balonwu, Adviser to the Governor on Stakeholder Engagement and Strategic Communication.
Cardoso was accompanied on stage by Victor Oboh, Director of the Bank’s Monetary Policy Department; Olubukola Akinwumi, Director of Banking Supervision; and Aloysius Uche Ordu, a member of the Monetary Policy Committee.
The organizers noted that the award reflects the Committee’s appreciation of Cardoso’s recent accomplishments and the Central Bank’s pivotal role in correcting market distortions and steering the Nigerian economy towards sustainable growth.
Now in its 19th edition, the African Banker Awards are organized by African Banker magazine in collaboration with the African Development Bank Group, which serves as the event’s official patron.
The ceremony gathers top government officials, commercial bankers, and development finance leaders from across Africa to celebrate excellence in the continent’s financial sector.
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