In Nigeria’s rapidly evolving financial services landscape, millions of consumers remain at risk—especially the invisible victims and the most vulnerable groups who often fall through the cracks of protection. From unfair charges to predatory practices and digital exclusion, their voices are rarely heard, yet they bear the brunt of systemic gaps. In this episode of the EFInA Podcast, we sit down with Sola Salako-Ajulo, President of the Consumer Advocacy Foundation of Nigeria (CAFON), to unpack the urgent question: What must regulators do to safeguard the most vulnerable in our financial ecosystem? Building on insights from the recent webinar, this conversation explores the ecosystem’s expectations of regulators, the realities of consumer protection, and the pathways to building a financial system where fairness, trust, and inclusion are non-negotiable.

In Part 1 of our two-part episode on Credit Literacy, Personal Finance, and Financial Health, we navigated the nuances of credit and its impact on financial well-being. Building on those insights, this episode (Part 2) dives into understanding and managing your 'credit appetite' – how to thoughtfully approach credit use, balance financial opportunities with risks, and cultivate healthy credit habits for long-term financial stability.

In Nigeria, rising access to digital credit, informal lending, and consumer finance has not been matched by adequate credit education. At the same time, financial stress—due to poor saving habits, impulse spending, and income unpredictability—has weakened financial health among millions. This special episode explores the intersection of credit use, financial behaviour, and wellness with Mr Jerry Osagie, SME and personal finance expert By engaging both demand and supply-side perspectives, it aims to inform and inspire practical action for building a more financially resilient society.

In Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), women continue to face significant barriers to financial inclusion. Despite contributing significantly to household welfare and local economies, particularly through micro and small businesses, women often lack access to credit, savings tools, insurance, and digital financial services. In this episode, we dive deep into women micro-entrepreneurs access to and usage of appropriate financial solutions through ‘Gender-Intentional Product Design’— what it is, why it matters, and how it can be the game-changer for millions of women micro-entrepreneurs in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa with Ms. Olajumoke Daramola, Specialist, Advisory Services, Africa at Women's World Banking. We share insights on issues and opportunities around pro-poor product innovations, exploring how gender-responsive financial products/solutions can empower women micro-entrepreneurs through expanded access to and usage of appropriate financial solutions that drive inclusive and enterprise growth.

In Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), women continue to face significant barriers to financial inclusion. Despite contributing significantly to household welfare and local economies, particularly through micro and small businesses, women often lack access to credit, savings tools, insurance, and digital financial services. In this episode, we dive deep into women micro-entrepreneurs access to and usage of appropriate financial solutions through ‘Gender-Intentional Product Design’— what it is, why it matters, and how it can be the game-changer for millions of women micro-entrepreneurs in Nigeria and across Sub-Saharan Africa with Ms. Olajumoke Daramola, Specialist, Advisory Services, Africa at Women's World Banking. We share insights on issues and opportunities around pro-poor product innovations, exploring how gender-responsive financial products/solutions can empower women micro-entrepreneurs through expanded access to and usage of appropriate financial solutions that drive inclusive and enterprise growth.

In this episode, we explore how gender-responsive financial products/solutions can empower women, strengthen households, and drive inclusive growth with Mustapha Otaru (Chief Product Officer, Sterling Bank). The conversation highlights barriers women face in accessing financial services, best practices in designing for their unique needs, and the broader socio-economic benefits of women’s financial empowerment through gender-responsive product innovation.

According to EFInA’s 2023 Access to Financial Services in Nigeria Survey (A2F) Report, negative perceptions, informed by bad experiences and fraud, have been a significant deterrent to formal financial inclusion, leading to a lack of trust in financial institutions and restraint in engaging with formal banking systems. This lack of trust has significant implications for Nigeria’s digital economy, where the success of digital financial services (DFS) hinges on consumer confidence and security. Fraudulent activities, including identity theft, phishing scams, and unauthorized transactions, erode trust and discourage individuals, particularly those in underserved communities, from fully adopting digital payment systems and financial products. In this episode, The conversation with Mr Ajibade Laolu-Adewale (Chairman, CeBIH; and Group Head, Partnerships, Digital Solutions and FINTECHs in WEMA Bank) seeks to answer the question, “How can Nigeria effectively report their grievances with FSPs and get satisfactory redress to build confidence in the system, leading to higher DFS updates and, ultimately, driving financial and economic inclusion

According to EFInA’s 2023 Access to Financial Services in Nigeria Survey (A2F) Report, negative perceptions, informed by bad experiences and fraud, have been a major deterrent to formal financial inclusion leading to a lack of trust in financial institutions and restraint in engaging with formal banking systems. In this episode, we discuss with Prof Chiso Ndukwe Okafor, Executive Director, Consumer Advocacy and Empowerment Foundation (CADEF), Nigeria, on the Nigeria's consumer protection framework. We discuss the need for stronger measures to safeguard excluded populations and emphasize the role of trust in achieving Nigeria’s financial inclusion goals.

Quick Fact: 26% of Nigerians remain financially excluded, many of whom are women, youth, and people in rural communities, who form the largest segment of last-mile consumers. Why it is important: Digital innovation in Digital financial services (DFS) has significantly reduced financial exclusion and can bridge gaps in access to essential services. However, low digital literacy, limited technology access, and security concerns hinder adoption among last-mile consumers. In this episode, we discuss with Mr Olu Akanmu, EFInA Board Director and Academic Director, Tech-Leap Initiative, Lagos Business School, the benefits and pitfalls of digital innovation in driving financial inclusion for the last mile, especially as digital innovation is leapfrogging at a pace faster than social development.

Quick Fact: 26% of Nigerians remain financially excluded, many of whom are women, youth, and people in rural communities, who form the largest segment of last-mile consumers. Why it is important: Digital innovation in Digital financial services (DFS) has significantly reduced financial exclusion and can bridge gaps in access to essential services. However, low digital literacy, limited technology access, and security concerns hinder adoption among last-mile consumers. In this episode, we discuss with Mr Olu Akanmu, EFInA Board Director and Academic Director, Tech-Leap Initiative, Lagos Business School, the benefits and pitfalls of digital innovation in driving financial inclusion for the last mile, especially as digital innovation is leapfrogging at a pace faster than social development.