The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) of Nigeria has partnered with Cambridge University and Busha, a leading licensed digital assets platform in Nigeria, to launch a Digital Assets Innovation, Industry, Regulation & Compliance (DAIIRC) certificate programme aimed at strengthening the country’s regulatory framework and fostering innovation.
The programme is part of Nigeria’s broader initiative to improve blockchain literacy among professionals. The curriculum is designed to equip industry leaders, policymakers, regulators, and professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to navigate the rapidly evolving digital assets and blockchain landscape.
About the DAIIRC Programme
The Digital Assets Innovation, Industry, Regulation & Compliance (DAIIRC) certificate programme, is developed by Cambridge University and will be delivered in collaboration with Busha, A&D Forensics, a blockchain intelligence and compliance firm, and the SEC.
The six-week programme, priced at $1500, will cover fundamentals of blockchain technology, cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), and regulation, supervision, and compliance for virtual assets.
A Partnership For A Progressive and Innovative Digital Economy
The partnership was announced on the 13th of this month, where the partners had emphasized the benefits of the programme and the rationale behind the collaboration in an interview with Premium Times.
De Allen, the program director, had remarked that participants will gain immense benefits from the program, as it involves a combination of the academic excellence of Cambridge University, Busha’s practical industry experience, and an understanding of technical analysis and intelligence from leading analytics firms such as A&D Forensics, Tether, and Chainalysis.
“At Cambridge, we believe that meaningful education happens when academic insight meets real-world relevance. This programme brings together global research, policy frameworks, and market practice to support regulators and industry leaders navigating the complex world of digital assets. We are especially proud to be working with the SEC, Busha, and A&D to contextualise this learning for the African financial ecosystem, and to contribute to the development of informed, capable leadership across the continent,” Allen said
The Director-General of the SEC highlighted the program’s timely launch, noting the country’s recent efforts towards the regulation of digital currencies, including the recently formed stablecoin working group.
“This partnership with Cambridge University, Busha and A&D Forensics to deliver a world-class executive programme reflects our commitment to equipping regulators, policymakers, and market leaders with the tools they need to engage with digital assets from a position of confidence, not caution. We are not just responding to change; we are helping to shape it for the stability, growth, and inclusion of our capital markets,” Agama said.
The co-founder and chief compliance officer of Busha, Olaoluwa Samuel-Biyi, added,
“We are seeing increasing alignment between innovation and regulation in Nigeria. As the CBN explores stablecoin frameworks and the SEC deepens its engagement with the digital asset market, executive programmes like DAIIRC ensure that the right people—regulators and stakeholders, bankers, and fintech founders—are equipped with the knowledge to make informed, forward-looking decisions.”
The senior partner at A.D. Forensics emphasized the value participants would gain from the certification programme.
“We are proud to partner with Cambridge Enterprise, the SEC, and Busha on a programme that does not just talk about innovation but demonstrates how to apply it safely. Our contribution ensures participants gain real-world knowledge of blockchain analytics, fraud prevention, and compliance, skills that are critical for trust and accountability in the digital economy.”
Blockchain Literacy in Nigeria
According to a recent report by the SEC, Nigeria processed over $50 billion in a year, making it a continental leader in crypto adoption.
Moreover, a report by Electric Capital ranked Nigeria 4th globally in developer activity, corroborating a previous report by Hashed Emergent, which noted the high level of developer activity in Nigeria, surpassing all other countries in the region.
However, blockchain literacy remains concentrated among developers, with limited understanding among officials in traditional finance and regulatory institutions. This gap has contributed to non-inclusive regulation, as evident in the classification of cryptocurrency as securities under the new Investment and Securities Act (2025), which drew criticism from cryptocurrency advocates and traders.
The DAIIRC programme addresses these literacy gaps by equipping professionals with the knowledge and tools required to build blockchain-based solutions, enact inclusive regulations, and foster a progressive digital economy.
