Gamarjoba,
Victoria from Techpoint here,
Here’s what I’ve got for you today:
- CBN cuts FX list from 4,000 to 82
- The startup tackling Nigeria’s $20B event market
- TikTok restricts night LIVE amid safety concerns
82 Bureau-De-Change operators licensed as FX reform kicks in
Looks like Nigeria’s foreign exchange (FX) street might finally be getting its house in order. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has just issued the first batch of final licences to 82 Bureaux de Change (BDC) operators under its 2024 regulatory framework, a big move meant to clean up a market long plagued by shady, unlicensed trading.
Under the new rules, only properly licensed operators are allowed to buy and sell foreign currency, no more under-the-table deals or “side-door” traders. The CBN rolled out two licence tiers: Tier 1, requiring a hefty ₦2 billion capital base, and Tier 2, with a ₦500 million minimum. Of the 82 licensed this round, only two made the heavy-duty Tier 1 cut; the remaining 80 are Tier 2, restricted to operating in only one state each.
Per the CBN’s notice, the licences became effective on November 27, 2025, and from that date forward, only BDCs listed on the official CBN website are allowed to operate legally. Anyone dealing with unlicensed “FX operators” risks backing illicit deals. The regulator is clear: check the list before you hand over your money.
The crackdown isn’t just regulatory hair-splitting. It follows an even larger sweep in 2024, when the CBN cancelled more than 4,000 BDC licences for infractions such as failing to pay fees or flouting anti-money laundering rules. The clean-up also included support from security agencies cracking down on street-level FX trading, which had become part of everyday life as Nigerians scrambled to move money amid currency volatility.
For Nigerians trying to follow the official rate rather than the parallel one, this is a welcome shake-up. The naira’s official and black-market rates have recently moved closer together, and the CBN hopes that cleaning up the BDC landscape — cutting out illicit and speculative FX trading — will help keep it that way. For now, the message is loud and clear: if your BDC isn’t on the CBN list, don’t trust it with your dollars.
Inside the startup tackling Nigeria’s $20B event market
If you’ve ever tried throwing a surprise birthday party, you already know the chaos. One minute you’re choosing cake flavours, the next you’re negotiating with decorators, messaging caterers, tweaking guest lists, and hopping between WhatsApp, Instagram, spreadsheets, and transfer apps. It’s fun until it’s not.
That’s exactly the spiral Oluwapelumi Adewoyin found himself in back in 2019 when he wished there was just one place to manage everything. Years later, after watching COVID-19 push businesses online and Nigeria’s cash crunch force even the smallest vendors to accept digital payments, the moment finally felt right.
So in 2025, Adewoyin teamed up with Faruq Musodiq-Bishi to build EventPark, an all-in-one platform designed to make event planning less “organised madness” and more “smooth, centralised, and just tap here.”
And honestly, there’s no better place to test the idea than Nigeria—a country where people can and will throw a party for literally anything. A burial? Naming ceremony? Promotion? Housewarming? Thanksgiving? Random Tuesday? Nigerians will gather. With millions of events happening every year, the local market is estimated at around $20 billion, sitting inside a global industry worth over $1 trillion, and one that has attracted more than $1 billion in investment over the past decade.
With global players like Eventbrite recently getting scooped up in a $500 million acquisition, it’s clear the event-tech space is heating up. Want the full scoop on EventPark and the market they’re chasing? Check out Chimgozirim’s latest story for all the details.
TikTok restricts night LIVE amid safety concerns
If you tried going live on TikTok last night and your button mysteriously stopped working, you’re not alone. TikTok has quietly rolled out a late-night restriction for Nigerian users, and creators across the country have been waking up to the same in-app notification: your LIVE access at night has been temporarily disabled. No warning, no timeline, just a sudden pause.
When Technext reached out for answers, TikTok simply said it’s “temporarily limiting LIVE at night in Nigeria” as part of a safety investigation. The company didn’t give details or say when things would return to normal, but assured users that updates would follow. For now, the restriction is in place and creators must adjust.
This move is already shaking up the creator community. Late night is prime time for engagement on TikTok, especially for hosts who run interactive shows, entertainment streams, or monetised LIVE sessions. For many, that night traffic isn’t just a vibe, it’s income. Now, they’ll have to shift their content earlier or risk losing their audience entirely.
TikTok says the decision is linked to safety checks and monitoring unusual activity, especially as late-night interactions tend to carry higher risks for younger users. Nigeria has also seen a troubling rise in non-consensual sexual videos, so this investigation could be TikTok trying to get ahead of problems before regulators step in. Brands and influencers will also feel the impact, as campaigns built around nighttime LIVE engagement may need to be redesigned or delayed.
While TikTok hasn’t confirmed whether this is tied to specific incidents or algorithmic flags, it’s clear that creators need to keep an eye on updates. For now, the ban highlights the challenge every major platform faces in fast-growing markets like Nigeria: protecting users without stifling the people who depend on these platforms for visibility and livelihood.
In case you missed it
- ‘Achalugo’, ‘Labubu’, and ‘ex-President Muhammadu Buhari’ top Nigeria’s Google searches in 2025
What I’m watching
- Passive Income Expert: How To Make $10k Per Month In 90 Days!
- Psychology of People Who Don’t Post their Photos on Social Media
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Have a lovely Tuesday!
Victoria Fakiya for Techpoint Africa
