CBN Urges Nigerians to Embrace eNaira amid Bitcoin Surge

The Central Bank of Nigeria has continued to encourage Nigerians to embrace the eNaira, Africa’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC).

The appeal was made by the Director of the Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, Osita Nwanisobi at the Lagos International Trade Fair.

After inflation data from the United States further strengthened the notion that Bitcoin is a hedge against rising cost pressures, Bitcoin hit another record high and is currently weaving around the $64,000 range. However, the CBN’s ban on cryptocurrency transactions will not enable Nigeria to benefit from the fast-booming crypto market.

The CBN is introducing the eNaira to give the country’s citizens a secure option and satisfy those who have a high appetite for blockchain technology.

Nwanisobi highlighted some of the benefits of the new digital currency, stating that it is expected to “deepen financial inclusion” by bringing more Nigerians into the financial space, support a payment ecosystem with recognizable resilience, reduce the cost of processing cash in the country, enable direct intervention to the welfare of citizens while being completely transparent in dealings, increase transparency in the collection of tax collections and revenue, and reduce the cost of financial transactions.

Nwanisobi also mentioned that the digital currency will facilitate remittances concerning the diaspora, and improve the efficacy of regular payments.

Nwanisobi also acknowledged the positive responses to the launch of the digital currency. He said that customers who download the eNaira Speed Wallet App will be able to create a wallet, fund said wallet from their own bank accounts, transfer eNaira from their wallet to another eNaira wallet, and make payments for purchases at some registered locations. Nwanisobi referred to the naira (physical) as the pride of the nation, urging citizens to embrace the eNaira the way the naira is being embraced.

The CBN’s stance on cryptocurrency has since been known to be negative, as Nwanisobi himself once stated in an email that the Nigerian financial system lacks adequate space for cryptocurrency.