The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Olayemi Cardoso, has described young Nigerians as the country’s greatest asset and urged them to prepare to lead Nigeria into an era of stability, innovation, and inclusive growth.

Cardoso made this assertion on Friday at the inaugural CBN Governor Annual Lecture Series, held at the Lagos Business School under the theme ‘Next Generation Leadership in Monetary Policy and Nation Building.’

The Lecture Series, part of Cardoso’s Knowledge Acceleration and Thought Leadership Initiative, forms a central pillar of the apex bank’s strategy to deepen public understanding of monetary policy and strengthen its transmission. It also aims to promote dialogue, foster innovation, and build an inclusive financial system that positions Nigeria as a leader both in Africa and globally.

Cardoso emphasised that leadership rooted in credibility, transparency, and innovation would define the nation’s economic trajectory.

“Nigeria’s most important asset is its next generation. You, the emergent cohort of scholars, professionals, and civic actors, are not merely participants in this dialogue; you are its very subject. Leadership cannot be separated from nation-building, it must rest on trust, stability, and the collective confidence of millions of economic actors,” he said.

He noted that more than half of Nigeria’s population is under 30, with a median age of 18, giving the country one of the youngest populations globally.

“This demographic structure provides both an opportunity and a responsibility,” he added.

Highlighting reforms, Cardoso said decisive policy tightening had reduced inflation from nearly 35 per cent to about 20 per cent, while GDP grew 4.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2025. External reserves, he said, had risen above $42bn, with capital flows and investor confidence gradually rebounding.

He attributed this stability to restoring credibility in monetary policy, ending CBN’s direct financing of government, and unifying exchange rate windows, which had improved the naira’s stability and Nigeria’s sovereign credit ratings.

Referencing the reopening of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Culture and Creative Arts, he stressed the importance of national reputation.

“Reputation is one of the most valuable assets a person, an institution, or a nation can possess. When it falters, confidence weakens; when it is rebuilt, opportunities multiply,” he said.

Cardoso urged young Nigerians to embrace digital innovation, evidence-based decision-making, and active civic engagement. “Today’s students are tomorrow’s policymakers, entrepreneurs, and central bankers. You must not only inherit leadership but transform it,” he concluded.