At its Second Bi-Annual Regulator/FinTech Clinic (virtual, 7 Oct), SEC Nigeria officials said Approval-in-Principle (AIP) under the Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme (ARIP) is a conditional supervisory route, not a final operating licence. They said operators must still clear governance, capital, technology-control and investor-protection checks before registration, and must comply with the Investments and Securities Act 2025. DG Emomotimi Agama said the Commission has no intention of stifling fintech or digital-asset operators. No new rule was announced.
Approval-in-Principle (AIP) under SEC Nigeria’s Accelerated Regulatory Incubation Programme is a conditional, supervised route toward registration for fintech and digital-asset firms; it is not a final operating licence. At the Commission’s Second Bi-Annual Regulator/FinTech Clinic on 7 Oct (set by an SEC notice of 29 Sep), officials said firms must still clear governance, capital, technology and investor-protection checks before registration and must comply with the Investments and Securities Act 2025, as reported by Nairametrics; DG Emomotimi Agama said the Commission does not intend to stifle the sector. No new rule was announced. Context only: the N2bn capital floor dates from January and the N30m registration fee is still an August proposal.
Sources: SEC Nigeria — 2nd Bi-Annual Regulator/FinTech Clinic notice (published 2026-09-29) · Nairametrics — SEC assures fintechs, digital-asset firms of clear regulatory pathways (2026-10-07) · Nigeria CommunicationsWeek — No intention to gag fintech, digital-asset operators: SEC (2026-10-07) · Soft hold: remarks as reported by Nairametrics; N2bn / N30m context only