The federal government has demanded the information of the top 100 users of crypto exchange platform, Binance, from the firm.
The government is also demanding the transaction history for the past six months.
According to a report by Financial Times, the request is at the centre of negotiations between Binance and Nigeria.
Two of Binance’s top executives have been in the custody of Nigerian authorities for the past three weeks.
The government has accused Binance of fixing the country’s exchange rate and usurping the role of the Central Bank.
The government also slammed a $10 billion fine on the crypto firm as retribution for profiting from “its illegal transactions” in Nigeria.
The company denied the allegations but on March 8, it discontinued all transactions in naira on its exchange platform, following reports that
In the meantime, the office of the national security adviser (ONSA) in Nigeria is requesting that the exchange settle any unpaid tax obligations, according to documents obtained by the Financial Times.
The federal government seeks to restore confidence in the naira as well as ensure stability in the FX rate.
Meanwhile, the two detained executives have been identified as Nadeem Anjarwalla, a 37-year-old United Kingdom and Kenyan national and Binance’s regional manager for Africa; and Tigran Gambaryan, a 39-year-old United States citizen and Binance’s head of financial crime compliance.
Anjarwalla and Gambaryan had flown into Nigeria but had their passports seized by the ONSA.
According to Financial Times, the executives, who are being held at a guest house in Abuja adjacent to the national security adviser’s office, also had their phones seized upon their detention but have not been charged with any offence.
Citing court documents, the report said the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was permitted to detain both Binance executives for 14 days – a period that ended on Tuesday but has extended till Wednesday.
Elahe Anjarwalla, wife of Binance’s regional manager, said she had been left frustrated by a perceived lack of action from the British government.
The regional manager was said to have fallen ill while in detention.
“After two weeks we are no closer to understanding why they are being held and how much longer this nightmare will last,” she said.
“The Foreign Office is the first point of help to reach out to and it’s been much less proactive than I expected.”
Anjarwalla also said she was told that the foreign office was drafting an information request to Nigeria after his detention.
She was advised on Monday but had not yet been sent.
“We are supporting a British man detained in Nigeria and are in contact with the local authorities,” the foreign office told Anjarwalla’s wife.
The ONSA also said law enforcement agencies would be given space and time to undertake their work, adding that “outcomes will be made public in due course.”
