The Governor of Anambra State, south east Nigeria, Chukwuma Charles Soludo, has directed all banks in the state to receive thebold Naira notes as legal tender as directed by the Court.
The Nigerian Supreme Court had ruled that the old 500 and 1000 Naira notes be used for transactions alongside the new notes until December 31.
However, banks and businesses have continued to decline to accept the old notes for transactions following the ruling, especially as the Central Bank of Nigeria is yet to make a statement on the ruling.
Tellers at the commercial banks are to generate the codes for deposits and there is no limit to the number of times an individual or company can make deposits.
The Governor of the CBN gave the directive at a Bankers’ Committee meeting held on Sunday, 12th March, 2023.
— Chukwuma Charles SOLUDO (@CCSoludo) March 13, 2023
Governor Soludo in his address, said that he has spoken with the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Godwin Emefiele and he has approved the use of old Naira Notes.
Governor Soludo made this known in a statement he released on his Facebook page in the early hours of Monday, March 13, 2023.
Addressing the citizens of Anambra state on the use of the New Naira Note, Governor Soludo stated;
“Commercial banks have been directed by the Central Bank to dispense old currency notes and to also receive same as deposits from customers. Tellers at the commercial banks are to generate the codes for deposits and there is no limit to the number of times an individual or company can make deposits.”
Soludo added that the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, gave the directive at a Bankers’ Committee meeting held on Sunday, 12th March, 2023.
He stated that Governor Godwin Emefiele, personally confirmed the above to him during a phone conversation on Sunday night.
He ordered that residents of Anambra are therefore advised to freely accept and transact their businesses with the old currency notes (N200; N500; and N1,000) as well as the new notes.
He also urged residents to report any bank that refuses to accept deposits of the old notes.
He concluded by saying that Anambra State Government will not only report such a bank to the CBN, but will also immediately shut down the defaulting branch.
