Nigeria recently faced one of the most severe economic crises. Inflation surged to record highs towards the end of 2024. Despite some level of easing, citizens still endure inflationary pressures.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian government is accelerating efforts to regulate cryptocurrency transactions. Prospects are that interventions could boost revenue for the country.  

Nigeria Faces Inflationary Pressures

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and largest economy, has long struggled with economic instability. Sources indicate its annual inflation rate soared to 24.48% in January 2025 before dropping to 23.18% in February.

The 1.3% decline suggests the government’s monetary tightening measures may be starting to take effect. However, the country’s naira currency has devalued significantly. It lost 230% of its value against the US dollar over the past year.

“The drop in the inflation rate is mainly due to the rebase of the Consumer Price Index (CPI), not an actual reduction in price levels or inflationary pressure,” highlighted one citizen.

It comes as the country’s import-dependent economy is highly vulnerable to external shocks. Against this backdrop, President Bola Tinubu’s administration implemented bold economic reforms to stabilize the economy.

Among them are the removal of decade-long fuel subsidies and the unification of the country’s multiple exchange rates. However, these measures triggered unintended consequences, such as skyrocketing fuel prices and a severe cost-of-living crisis.

The effects of inflation are particularly devastating in conflict-ridden regions where communities rely on subsistence farming for food.

Crypto as a Hedge With New Regulations on the Horizon

Amid the economic uncertainty, many Nigerians have turned to crypto as a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation. Blockchain analytics firm Chainalysis revealed that between July 2023 and June 2024, Nigerians traded approximately $59 billion in crypto assets.

This surge in crypto adoption reflects a growing distrust in the traditional financial system. It also suggests a desire for more stable and accessible financial alternatives.

Nigerian authorities are finalizing new regulations in response to the rise in crypto adoption. They want to integrate digital asset transactions into the formal economy.

The Nigerian SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) is drafting policies to ensure all eligible transactions on regulated exchanges are incorporated into the country’s tax network.

A proposed bill outlining taxation policies for crypto transactions and other digital assets is under legislative review. The general sentiment is that it will pass within the first quarter (Q1) of 2025.

Meanwhile, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is stabilizing the currency and restoring investor confidence. Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced that the bank had cleared $2.5 billion of the foreign exchange backlog, with another $2.2 billion expected to be resolved soon.

Nigeria’s President Tinubu has also ordered the release of food reserves and establishing a commodity board to curb hoarding and stabilize prices.

While Nigeria’s economic crisis leaves millions struggling, the government’s intervention efforts involving crypto taxes and signs of easing inflation suggest a potential turnaround. However, much depends on how effectively authorities implement their policies and whether global economic conditions remain favorable.

At the same time, the country’s cryptocurrency adoption presents both opportunities and challenges. If regulated properly, digital assets could provide Nigerians with financial alternatives that help them navigate economic instability.

Notwithstanding, striking a balance between innovation and regulation will ensure that crypto remains a viable solution rather than a source of new financial risks.

“Currently, Nigeria needs massive investment in both formal and professional education; this is essential to increase our skilled labor force and be competent in today’s global digital economy.Special attention should be paid to areas in Blockchain, Digital Assets, Web3,” one user shared on X.

ZachXBT, a notorious sleuth in the crypto industry, has identified an “eye-opening” level of North Korean participation in the space. He claims that several decentralized protocols owe nearly all their trade volume to the DPRK.

ZachXBT discovered this network while trying to freeze transactions from the recent Bybit hack. He worries that the industry may not be capable of solving the problem, inviting anti-crypto regulations.

Extreme Level of North Korean Money Laundering Through Crypto

ZachXBT recently identified the North Korean Lazarus Group as the perpetrators of the Bybit hack. Although the group successfully laundered the stolen money, ZachXBT has persisted in trying to freeze assets and described an “eye-opening” network of North Korean activity in the DeFi space.

“Several ‘decentralized’ protocols have recently had nearly 100% of their monthly volume/fees from the DPRK. Centralized exchanges end up being worse, as when illicit funds flow through them, a few take multiple hours to respond when it only takes minutes to launder,” ZachXBT claimed via Telegram.

ZachXBT has pursued North Korean hacker activities on many occasions, and previously criticized Circle for its slow response in preventing money laundering.

The Bybit hack, the largest heist in crypto history, has highlighted the epidemic nature of the problem. THORChain and OKX were both criticized for facilitating Lazarus’ Bybit laundering.

Other data suggests that ZachXBT’s concerns about North Korean crypto networks are well-founded. Recent data from Arkham Intelligence suggests that North Korea is now the third-largest national crypto holder, behind the US and UK.

Although on-chain analysis can prove that North Korea has these assets, it’s practically impossible to speculate what exactly the country is doing with them.

The nation has been growing closer to Russia, which openly advocates for using crypto to evade sanctions. However, experts have only been able to speculate what North Korea is buying.

ZachXBT worries that North Korea has exposed how broken the crypto space is. He called KYT “completely flawed and easily evadable,” and said KYC is “just a honeypot for regular users” due to breaches and “useless in the majority of cases.”

Overall, it’s clear that North Korea is deeply embedded in the crypto space. Given the country’s reputation, it’s likely that these large proceeds from the crypto industry directly fund its military.

“This industry is unbelievably cooked when it comes to exploits/hacks. Sadly, I don’t know if the industry is going to fix this itself unless the government forcibly passes regulations that hurt our entire industry,” ZachXBT added.

Hopefully, the crypto community can find its own solutions and avoid harmful regulation and inevitable government overreach.