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By Stella Odueme
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Olayemi Cardoso, has engaged Nigerian and Chinese business leaders in Beijing to explore ways of strengthening financial cooperation, improving cross-border transactions and boosting investment between the two countries.
The high-level business and financial roundtable, themed “Strengthening the Nigeria–China Financial Corridor,” was held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at the Pan Pacific Beijing.
The meeting brought together business leaders and financial stakeholders from both countries to identify practical challenges affecting financial flows and explore opportunities to deepen Nigeria’s financial markets.
Cardoso emphasised the importance of engaging directly with businesses to understand the opportunities and constraints shaping financial activities between Nigeria and China.
He noted that feedback from businesses would help identify areas requiring attention to make financial markets deeper and more accessible.
The Deputy Governor for Economic Policy at the CBN, Philip Ikeazor, delivered the opening remarks, outlining the objectives of the engagement and the need to translate improvements in Nigeria’s macroeconomic fundamentals into increased investment and more developed financial markets.
Nigeria’s Ambassador to China, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau (rtd), also addressed participants at the meeting.
Other speakers included the Chairperson of Blue Diamond Group, Festus Mbisiogu, and the Chairperson of CIG Motors, Chief Diana Chen, who shared perspectives on business operations and financial transactions along the Nigeria–China corridor.
A major feature of the roundtable was an interactive listening session, during which participants discussed opportunities for expanding financial activities and the challenges encountered in conducting business transactions between the two countries.
Among the issues raised were the need for more efficient cross-border payment arrangements, stronger banking connections and the potential benefits of increasing the presence of Nigerian banks in China.
Participants also examined ways to facilitate financial flows, improve access to financial services and expand investment opportunities in Nigeria.
The meeting featured a presentation on Nigeria’s economic reform progress, improved macroeconomic fundamentals and emerging investment opportunities in the country’s financial markets.
In his closing remarks, Cardoso stressed the importance of translating the discussions into a clearer understanding of the financial and institutional issues requiring attention.
The CBN said insights from the engagement would inform its continued discussions with relevant financial institutions and regulatory counterparts, with a focus on practical areas of cooperation within the Bank’s mandate.
The Beijing roundtable forms part of the CBN’s broader efforts to strengthen Nigeria’s financial relationships across Asia.
Following engagements in Singapore and at the IMF/World Bank Annual Meetings in Bangkok, the Bank’s programme in China includes bilateral discussions with the People’s Bank of China, engagements with the leadership of the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC), and meetings with Nigerian and Chinese businesses.
The programme will also extend to Guangzhou, where the CBN is scheduled to hold a listening session with members of the Nigerian business community to understand their financial challenges and explore ways to strengthen remittance channels and facilitate investment in Nigeria.