Vox pop: Nigerians react on CBN deadline for old Naira notes

Barely 24 hours to the expiration of the old naira notes deadline, many Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in major parts of Nigeria do not dispense either the old notes or the new naira notes, leaving customers stranded. The situation is further compounded by the fact that traders are also rejecting the old notes, asking consumers to pay with new notes. Nigerian NewsDirect spoke to some Nigerians to find out what they think about CBN January 31 deadline for old Naira notes

Thomas Christiana

Anyways my view is I think three months is enough for Nigerians to deposit their old notes and get the new ones, but I just feel we, Nigerians believe if something is not in a hurry we won’t do it.

We are still waiting for the government to extend the date of which I am not sure will be possible.

So far they have been telling us for the past three months to go and deposit our old notes, do we feel they are joking because I don’t understand Nigerians.

I am not supporting the government, but I feel three months is enough to deposit the old naira notes and get the new ones.

Comrade Bello Adebayo 

The people at the helm of affairs should consider the people at the grassroots in their policy-making.

The Central Bank of Nigeria should consider citizens to continue to spend old and new naira notes till the old notes will be out of circulation.

The policy behind the deadline on the old naira notes is a good move at the wrong time.

Nigerians should do their best to go comply with the directive of the government, they might not shift ground on the old naira notes deadline.

Oyindamola  Moses

My view on the old naira notes and the January 31 deadline — what the  government is saying is giving us issues.

Some of us have the old naira notes with us and we cannot dump it somewhere. It is impossible.

Moreover, the ATM machines, not dispensing new notes, is really giving us problem.

Maybe the government should extend the date because it can’t be possible at that particular date the government is insisting on.

Garuba Benedicta, a POS official

The policy has been affecting business, I could not get the new notes from banks as customers no longer collect the old Naira notes from me, “I have stopped transactions now because I could not get money from banks.

“We are seriously facing economic challenges in this country and to buy commodities has now become a problem.”

Adeyemo Adeyemi 

The CBN should consider people that have the old notes in hand to be able to change, since the banks have refused to send out new money, and a result of that people will continue to reject the money till it circulate.

This has caused panic in many parts of the country as the deadline draws nearer, with thousands, especially those in rural areas, storming banks to exchange the old notes with the new ones.

The Senate, therefore, asked the CBN to extend the deadline by six months to allow Nigerians especially those in rural areas more time to change their old notes.

Mr. Adebisi

Well, my view is that the new naira notes are not in circulation fully and yet they gave us deadline for 31st January.

I don’t know how they want people to go about that, because this money is not in circulation fully yet, so I feel the federal  government should extend the date. That is my view on it.