The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed commercial banks to dispense and receive old naira notes as legal tender across the country.
The CBN gave the directive at a Bankers’ Committee meeting held on Sunday, according to a statement by the Acting Director, CBN Corporate Communications, Isa AbdulMumin, on Monday.
This is coming hours after the Presidency Monday evening said the CBN had no reason not to comply with the ruling of the Supreme Court on the naira redesign policy.
It stated that President Muhammadu Buhari did not instruct the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, to disobey “any court orders involving the government and other parties.”
Meanwhile, state governments, which sued the Federal Government on the naira redesign policy, have given the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, SAN, and the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, till Tuesday to comply with the order of the Supreme Court on the currency.
The state governments threatened to file contempt charges against the two top officials on Tuesday should they fail to obey the apex court which ordered that the old N1,000, N500 and N200 should be in circulation alongside the new notes till December 31, 2023.
The apex court had ordered that the old naira notes be allowed to circulate side by side the new notes until December 31, 2023.
Details later…
