Digitnomics 
Blockchain.com has been admitted into Nigeria’s Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP), deepening the digital asset company’s engagement with Nigerian regulators as it expands its presence in Africa.
The admission places Blockchain.com within the SEC’s controlled regulatory environment for digital asset businesses, allowing the company to operate within the defined scope of the programme while meeting ongoing compliance requirements and regulatory conditions.
For Nigeria’s growing digital asset market, the development is significant. ARIP gives the SEC an opportunity to assess how digital asset businesses operate in real-world conditions while testing safeguards around consumer protection, market integrity and anti-money laundering.
For Blockchain.com, the programme provides a structured route to work directly with the regulator and adapt its global compliance and security standards to the Nigerian market.
Owen Odia, General Manager for Africa at Blockchain.com, described the admission as an important milestone in the company’s long-term Nigerian strategy.
“Nigeria is one of Africa’s most important digital asset markets and participating in the SEC’s ARIP is an important step forward in our long-term commitment to the country,” Odia said.
He said the company would use the opportunity to work with the SEC in a controlled environment and contribute to the development of a framework that protects consumers while supporting responsible innovation.
Blockchain.com said its Nigerian regulatory engagement forms part of a wider global strategy of operating within established regulatory frameworks.
The company pointed to regulatory developments and licences secured in other markets, including the UK Financial Conduct Authority, the European Union’s Markets in Crypto-Assets (MiCA) framework and a Virtual Asset Service Provider licence from the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority.
The company said this experience would help strengthen compliance, security and consumer protection across its Nigerian operations.
Why ARIP Matters
Nigeria has become one of Africa’s most active digital asset markets, with cryptocurrencies playing an increasingly practical role in how individuals access, hold and transfer value.
The SEC’s ARIP provides a controlled environment where virtual asset service providers and fintech innovators can test products and business models under regulatory oversight.
The programme also enables the regulator to identify operational risks and develop appropriate rules around areas such as investor protection and anti-money laundering before permanent regulatory frameworks are finalised.
Blockchain.com said it views Nigeria as an important market for its broader African expansion and intends to work with regulators and local stakeholders to support a safer and more transparent digital asset ecosystem.
Founded in 2011, Blockchain.com says it has more than 95 million wallets and over 44 million confirmed accounts, with more than $1.2 trillion processed through its platform.
The company operates across more than 70 jurisdictions.
