Report: Kenyan and Nigerian Central Bankers Attack Cryptocurrencies but Endorse CBDCs

Cryptocurrencies are very unstable for them to become a widely used method of payment, the Nigerian and Kenyan central bankers have reportedly said. In addition, the bankers claim that cryptocurrencies also pose a risk to financial stability.

Narrowing the Financial Exclusion Gap

The Nigerian and Kenyan central bankers have said cryptocurrencies are too volatile to become an acceptable payment method. The bankers also insisted that cryptocurrencies pose a risk to financial stability, a Reuters report has said.

As per the report, the bankers namely, Kingsley Obiora, the deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Kenyan central bank governor Patrick Njoroge, believe that a central bank digital currency has a better chance of narrowing the financial exclusion gap. The central bankers added that only a central bank digital currency (CBDC) can reduce the cost of transacting.

In the report, Obiora, who spoke at an International Monetary Fund (IMF) moderated virtual summit, is quoted explaining why his institution is opposed to cryptocurrency. He said:

The volatility it creates can become a source of instability in the system.

Kenya to Issue a CBDC

For his part, Njoroge is quoted in the report questioning what he believed to be the hype that is associated with cryptocurrencies. The Kenyan central bank governor nonetheless hinted that his institution may eventually regulate crypto assets as a “wealth product.” Besides regulating the privately issued digital currencies as a wealth product, Njoroge suggested that the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) may eventually follow in the footsteps of Nigeria and issue its own CBDC.

However, unlike the CBN which is attempting to increase the number of people that are financially included via its recently launched CBDC, the CBK will not be prioritizing this because that has been achieved with mobile money, Njoroge explained.

As previously reported by Bitcoin.com News, the Kenyan central bank had sought the public’s views and perceptions on CBDCs. According to the Reuters report, the CBK is now in the process of examining the public’s feedback.