Tinubu Signs Executive Order To Coordinate Virtual Asset Regulation

President Bola Tinubu has signed an executive order to bring Nigeria’s virtual asset regulation under closer coordination.

The order creates a Virtual Assets Council and directs financial, revenue and capital market regulators to work through a single structure as government tries to reduce fraud and close gaps between agencies.

The presidency said the Presidential Executive Order on Virtual Assets Coordination, 2026, took effect immediately. It said the order was issued under Section 5 of the Constitution and was meant to protect citizens while allowing responsible digital finance innovation.

Channels TV and Vanguard reported that the order is aimed at strengthening cooperation among agencies that supervise financial markets, tax and capital-market activity. Daily Post reported that the council will be chaired by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Premium Times reported that the order responds to a fragmented regulatory space where virtual assets now cut across currencies, money, commodities and securities. The presidency said unregistered and fraudulent operators had exploited those gaps and cost families their savings.

The order also requires every participating agency to keep ownership and control of its own data while sharing information through the coordinated framework.

Sources: Vanguard, Daily Post, Channels TV, Premium Times