Since the ban on crypto in February 5, 2021, every move made by the Nigerian government seems to have missed the mark. Initially citing concerns about money laundering and terrorist financing, the restriction on commercial banks from processing crypto transactions has not yielded the intended results. Instead, it has resulted in significant financial losses for both the banks and the country funds that could have been retained to peer-to-peer (P2P) operations.
The government appears to have overlooked Nigeria's status as Africa's leading crypto hub and one of the top 10 globally. Attempts to halt crypto transactions seem futile given its widespread adoption. This latest action by the government appears to be another misstep.
Considering the positive impact of crypto on the lives of many unemployed graduates, the government's decision comes across as callous and indifferent. A more constructive approach would have been to allow commercial banks to operate within a regulated framework. However, it seems they are turning a blind eye to potential solutions.
While Binance, Coinbase, and Kraken are among the suspended exchanges, it begs the question: Why these specific exchanges? Why not others like Bitget and Kucoin? These discrepancies raise concerns about the government's motives and decision-making process.