Enhancing Financial Inclusion and Advancement (EFInA) on September 16, 2026, released the findings of the ninth Access to Financial Services in Nigeria (A2F) Survey. The survey shows that 79% of Nigerian adults, approximately 94.2 million people, now use a financial product or service. This represents a significant increase in financial inclusion in the country. The findings were presented under the theme of Access. Opportunity. Growth: Advancing Financial and Economic Inclusion for All Nigerians.
The survey reveals that formal inclusion reached 73%, or roughly 87.2 million adults, exceeding the 70% target set under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy. The programme opened with pre-event breakout sessions on women’s economic and financial inclusion, agricultural livelihoods, and financial resilience. These sessions were convened with the World Bank Global Environment Facility Small Grants Program (GEF SGP), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), and Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), respectively.
Dr Agnes Olatokunbo Martins, Board Chair, EFInA, said the theme captures both the progress made and the ambition that should guide the next phase of Nigeria’s financial inclusion journey. She described the value of the Survey as its ability to show what administrative data cannot. Martins cautioned against designing for a national average, noting that financial needs and experiences differ by income, gender, geography, age and economic activity.
In a keynote address delivered on behalf of Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr Aisha A. Isa-Olatinwo, Director, Consumer Protection and Financial Inclusion, CBN, said the evidence the Survey produces is indispensable to policy design, market development, consumer protection and the effective targeting of reforms. The address set out a shift in what the sector should now be working towards, focusing on meaningful usage, affordability, reliability, safety, trust and measurable improvement in financial health.
The survey also shows digital financial services reaching 64.4% of adults, up from 45% in 2023 and 34% in 2020. This rise is the largest movement recorded in this round, and digital use tracks closely with better outcomes, with 33% of digital users financially healthy against 9.1% of non-users. On financial health, Ms. Foyinsolami Akinjayeju, CEO, EFInA, noted that “three out of four Nigerians are not financially healthy,” adding that access is increasing while financial health is not catching up at the same pace.
Dr Oluwatomi Eromosele, Research Lead, EFInA, noted that the message from A2F 2026 is clear: Nigeria’s financial inclusion challenge has changed. The next phase must be about precision: reaching the people and places where gaps remain; conversion: turning existing financial relationships into pathways to credit, protection, investment and financial security; and outcomes: ensuring that inclusion ultimately strengthens people’s resilience and economic opportunity.
Amb. Nimi Akinkugbe, Member, EFInA, stated that the real measure of the Survey will not be the quality of the data unveiled but what changes as a result of it. She drew attention to the gender findings across the zones, noting that formal inclusion gaps between men and women are often modest while inclusion is not translating into financial health and resilience at the same rate. For more targeted supply-side conversations, the A2F 2026 Industry Engagement is slated to hold on 25 September 2026 in Lagos.
Key points
- - Formal financial inclusion in Nigeria has reached 73%, exceeding the 70% target set under the National Financial Inclusion Strategy. - Digital financial services have reached 64.4% of adults, up from 45% in 2023 and 34% in 2020. - Three out of four Nigerians are not financially healthy, with access increasing while financial health is not catching up at the same pace.
