NIGERIANS are eagerly waiting for President Muhammadu Buhari to take the decision he promised on the scarcity of new naira notes.
On February 3, the President pledged to take a crucial decision on the matter after meeting with the governors elected on the platform of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The governors met him to express their frustration over the scarcity of the new banknotes.
The ICIR reports that the seven days requested by Buhari will elapse today.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) introduced the new N200, N500 and N1000 notes into circulation on December 15, 2022, and announced that the old notes would cease to be legal tender from January 31, 2023.
Following pleas and protests by Nigerians, the apex bank extended the deadline till February 10 and said people with the old notes could take them to the bank to exchange for new ones or save them after the deadline.
Despite the deadline extension, the currency swap has caused multi-dimensional harm to businesses, households and individuals, with the 2023 general elections kicking off in two weeks.
In the first week of February, many banks could only issue the sum of N1,000 over their counters. Some gave out bundles of N5 notes.
Many ATMs had no cash, and people queued for hours, hoping they would get some money.
Point-of-sale (POS) operators have been charging as high as ten-fold what they used to charge their customers – a development that has worsened the crisis.
The ICIR reported how Nigerians have gone nude and fought in banks in protest over the scarcity of the new notes. Many banks have also shut down over the crisis.
Despite efforts by anti-corruption agencies, namely the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), to compel banks hoarding the notes to release them to the public, the scarcity has persisted.
The scarcity has led to a protest by Nigerians in Ogun, Oyo, Ondo, and Delta States.
Three APC governors approached the Supreme Court to halt the currency swap, which would make the old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes cease to be legal tenders on February 10.
The governors of Kaduna, Nasir El Rufai; Kogi, Yahaya Bello; and Zamfara, Bello Matawalle, filed the suit.
They expressed concern over the consequences of the CBN policy on people in their states.
In its ruling on February 8, the Court issued an exparte order halting the plan.
Meanwhile, Buhari’s government approached the court to dismiss the suit after the ruling, making Nigerians anxious over the fate awaiting them as the February 10 deadline and the seven days the President promised to take an action elapses today.
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org