Old Naira: CBN Advises Traders To Embrace Use Of POS To Beat Deadline

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News Across Nigeria Saturday, January 21st, 2023

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has advised market traders and business operators in Kwara to embrace use of Point of Sale (POS) machines for transactions to beat the old Naira notes submission deadline rush.

The CBN, Ilorin Branch Controller, Mr Najim Lamidi, gave the advice at the Day Two of the sensitisation programme on redesigned Naira notes of N1,000, N500 and N200 among traders in Ilorin on Friday.

He said that doing such would encourage cash management and reduce the security risks of holding physical cash in business transactions.

The CBN boss also advised the traders to discourage their customers from paying for goods with cash, saying that they should spread the message among their colleagues.

Lamidi further cautioned the traders to note that some of their customers may want to dump old Naira notes with them after the expiration of the Jan. 31 deadline.

He said that the apex bank would not extend the deadline on the redesigned notes beyond January 31, 2023, and urged the traders and other members of the public to take their old Naira notes to banks or POS agents.

The CBN boss explained that the rationale for the redesign of Naira notes was that data had shown a large volume of banknote hoarding by the public, which led to a shortage of clean and fit banknotes.

The Iyaloja of Mandate market, Alhaja Funmilayo Baba-Kobi, promised to spread the message among members in the markets.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the sensitisation programme was attended by market leaders and traders from Sawmill, Mandate, Awodi, Lasoju, Ipata and Eyenkorin markets.

The CBN team also took the sensitisation campaign to members of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Federation of Muslim Women Association (FOMWAN) in Ilorin.

NAN