The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has identified about 40 million Nigerians living with disabilities as an underserved segment of the financial system, urging fintech companies to develop products tailored to their needs.
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso, represented by Abiodun Olalekan Okunola, Head of the bank’s Innovation Management Division, disclosed this at Nigeria Fintech Week 2026 in Lagos. He said the financial system had not done enough to design technology and services that adequately serve persons with disabilities.
Cardoso cited visually impaired customers as an example, noting that having money in their bank accounts does not necessarily guarantee convenient access to financial services. He also stressed the need for financial institutions to train staff on appropriate ways of serving customers with disabilities.
The governor further pointed to limitations in fingerprint-based identification, particularly for people whose fingerprints may be unavailable, and called for alternative biometric solutions such as iris recognition. He said the large underserved population presents opportunities for fintech companies to develop more inclusive financial products and services.
The CBN’s position comes amid broader efforts to deepen financial inclusion. The regulator is working on a new National Financial Inclusion Strategy and has said financial inclusion policies should use disaggregated data, including disability status, to identify gaps and guide interventions.
