The presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has hailed the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for extending the deadline for swapping of old naira notes to the redesigned ones.
Recall that the CBN had set January 31 as deadline for the old N200, N500, and N1,000 notes to cease to be legal tender.
Addressing the media in Daura, Katsina after meeting President Muhammadu Buhari, Emefiele said that the deadline has been extended to February 10th, 2023.
He further explained that a seven-day grace period, beginning on February 10 to February 17, 2023, has also been approved to enable Nigerians to deposit their old notes at the CBN after the February deadline when the old currency would have lost its Legal Tender status.
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Many Nigerians have commended the apex bank for listening to their outcry to extend the deadline.
Weighing in, Atiku Abubakar said, “It is commendable that the CBN finally listened to the patriotic voices for a slight extension of the January 31 deadline for the exchange of old Naira notes to minimise its adverse effects on the most vulnerable of our people.
“I suggest that the CBN should encourage the banks to step up their mobile banking activities to ensure that Nigerians in remote areas and the unbanked benefit from this extension.
“It is my hope that Nigerians will take advantage of this new window to change their old notes to new ones.”