The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is to launch a Cash Swap Programme in partnership with Super Agents and Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), to enable rural dwellers and those with limited access to formal financial services to exchange old Naira notes for the redesigned notes.
Director, Financial Markets Department of the Bank, Dr. Angela Sere-Ejembi, made this known at the weekend when she led a team to the popular Modern Market and North Bank Market all in Makurdi to sensitise traders and their customers on the redesigned Naira notes and the urgent need to return the old notes to commercial banks for new ones.
Represented by a Deputy Director in the bank, Mr. Demenongu Yanfa, Sere-Ejembi, disclosed that the Cash Swap Programme would take effect from today.
She said the initiative was part of a concerted effort by the apex bank to maximise the channels through which undeserved and rural communities could speedily exchange their old Naira notes.
Giving an insight into the swap process, Sere-Ejembi explained that “the old N1000, N500, N200 notes can be exchanged for the newly redesigned notes and/or the existing lower denominations (N100, N50 and N20, etc) which remain legal tender.
“The agent shall exchange a maximum of N 10,000 per person. Amounts above N 10,000 may be treated as cash-in deposit into wallets or bank accounts in line with the cashless policy. BVN, NIN, or Voter’s card details of the customers should be captured as much as possible.
“This service is also available to anybody without a bank account. Agents may, on request instantly open a wallet or account, leveraging the CBN Tiered Know Your Customer, KYC, Framework. This will ensure that this category of the populace are able to exchange or deposit their cash seamlessly without taking unnecessary risk or incurring undue cost.
“Agents shall sensitize customers on opening wallets/ bank accounts and the various channels for conducting electronic transactions. The designated agents are eligible to collect the redesigned notes from DMBs in line with the Revised Cash Withdrawal Limit policy. Agents are also permitted to charge cashout fees for the cash swap transactions but prohibited from charging any further commissions to customers for this service.”
According to her “Agents shall render weekly returns to their designated banks regarding the cash swap transactions. DMBs shall in tum render same to the CBN on a weekly basis.”
She said, “Principals (Super Agents, MMOs, DMBs) shall be held accountable for their agents adherence to the above guidelines.
“The Cash Swap agents will be readily identifiable in all local governments, particularly those in the rural areas and the CBN will continue to monitor implementation of the programme and provide further guidance as may be necessary.”
Sere-Ejembi told the gathering that since January 31, 2023 was the deadline for the withdrawal of the old Naira notes, there was a need for the people to take advantage of the remaining days to lodge their old notes in the banks.
She disclosed that the new notes were designed with special security features and produced to last long thereby saving the country the money spent on reproducing notes.
She advised the people to report to the CBN through a phone number provided on flyers, any bank that refuses to accept the old Naira notes before the January 31 deadline.
Meanwhile, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), has promised to support the Central Bank of Nigeria, to ensure the actualisation of the goals of the change of old currency notes.
CAN Secretary, Abia State, Rev. Dr OkechukwuMgbeahuru, who made the pledge when he received in audience a monitoring team from the CBN said, that churches in the state would help to sensitises their members about the new policy.
Mgbeahuru thanked the CBN for deeming it necessary to carry the church along in the new policy, and promised to help pass the message through the various CAN blocs.
He said that the public awareness on the new policy could be spread faster through faith-based organisations.
CAN noted with concern that the new Naira notes were still scarce, and urged the apex bank to help clear the impediments slowing down the circulation process.
Adding his voice, the Abia State Coordinator of Nigeria Prays, Dr Chuks Alozie, lauded the CBN for the policy, saying that any economic policy that would help revive Nigeria’s economy would receive the tacit support of the church.
Speaking earlier, leader of the CBN team, and the Head, Corporate Communications Department of the apex bank, OsitaNwanisiobi, said that they were in the state to enlighten the public on the details of the new policy, and to assess the level of compliance by commercial banks on the distribution directives of the new currency notes.
He noted some complaints by traders and members of the public that the new notes were not fully circulating.
The CBN Spokesperson said the team had visited some banks where it was found that many of the banks were still dispensing the old currency notes in their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).
Nwanisiobi said the team had noted some of the challenges that commercial banks said they had in distributing the new currency notes, promising that in the coming days more new Naira notes would be in circulation.
He said the banks had been sternly warned to ensure they load their ATMs with only the new naira notes, and not to dispense the new notes over the counter for now.
Nwanisiobi threatened heavy sanctions against any commercial bank found hoarding the new currency notes or flouting the guidelines on their distribution.
He said that the CBN had enough of the new currency notes, while urging commercial banks to come to the apex bank and collect their allocations.
Addressing traders earlier at Ubani Ultra Modem Market, Nwanisiobi said that the January 31 deadline for the old currency notes to cease being a legal tender was sacrosanct.
He urged traders to deposit all their old currency notes before the deadline, adding that people without bank accounts could still sway their old currency notes through super agents in communities and hamlets where there are no banks.
He also urged people to embrace other payment options for their financial transactions to minimise the use of physical cash.
In a remark, Vice Chairman of the market, Chief Chikaodi Chukwunyere, pleaded with the CBN to send super agents to the market for currency swap for people without bank accounts.
The CBN team also took the public enlightenment to the mosques in Umuahia to sensitise Muslim faithful.
In an interview with newsmen, Chief Joseph Anosike (Niger Tailors), accused commercial banks of sabotaging the new policy by taking the new naira notes to politicians.
He regretted that the masses expecting to get the new naira notes via ATMs get disappointed as most of the banks still dispense the old notes through their ATMs.