eNaira download on Playstore crosses 100,000 in one week
Bank customers displayed massive interest in the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) eNaira initiative downloading over 100,000 wallets in seven days.
President Muhammadu Buhari had launched the eNaira on Monday the 25th of October 2021, making Nigeria the first African country to create a central bank digital currency (CBDC).
Nigerian NewsDirect can report that over 10,000 merchant wallets were downloaded on google playstore suggesting a massive early interest and adoption by bank customers.
A quick check on the Google PlayStore where information about the number of app downloads is displayed indicates over 100,000 downloads have been recorded thus far. Merchant downloads, which are meant for corporates have about 10,000 plus downloads.
To put this into context, popular banking apps like Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding company Plc, Kuda Bank all have one million-plus downloads respectively on the Google Play Store.
The apps have been available for years. First Bank has over 5 million-plus downloads, one of the most downloaded banking apps in Nigeria. Apple, meanwhile, does not disclose the number of downloads for apps in the App Store.
Hitherto, the CBN had advised Nigerians to be wary of fraudsters who have been posting fraudulent messages relating to the eNaira launched recently.
Director, Corporate Communications, Mr Osita Nwanisobi said in a statement posted on the bank’s website said , that the bank was not disbursing eNaira currency to citizens as claimed by the fraudsters.
“Following the formal launch of the eNaira on Monday, Oct. 25, the attention of the Central Bank of Nigeria has been drawn to criminal and illegal activities of some individuals and a fraudulent twitter handle, @enaira_cbdc purported to belong to the Bank.
“The impostor handle and fraudulent persons have been posting messages related to the eNaira with the intent of wooing unsuspecting Nigerians with claims that the Central Bank of Nigeria, among other falsities, is disbursing the sum of 50 Billion eNaira currency.
“These impostors are bent on defrauding innocent and unsuspecting members of the public through the links attached to their messages for application to obtain eNaira wallets and become beneficiaries of the said 50 billion eNaira currency.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the Central of Nigeria is not the owner of that twitter handle (@enaira_cbdc) and indeed suspended its presence on Twitter following the Federal Government’s ban. In effect, the Bank is not disbursing eNaira currency to citizens,’’ Nwanisobi said.
He urged Nigerians to always endeavour to seek clarifications on information about the eNaira either by visiting the eNaira website: www.enaira.gov.ng or calling the eNaira contact centre on 080069362472 or visiting any CBN Branch nearest to them.
He also advised anyone seeking clarity to visit the enaira current official social media handles: www.facebook.com/myenaira; www.instagram.com/myenaira and www.youtube.com/myenaira.
Nwanisobi urged that suspicious activity by members of the public should be reported to the CBN using [email protected] or to relevant law enforcement agencies.
