Anambra: Soludo threatens to shutdown banks refusing old naira notes 

The Anambra state governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo, Monday, threatened to shut down any commercial bank in the state that refuses to dispense or receive old naira notes.

Soludo, who stated this in a statement, said his directive was in line with the directives earlier issued to commercial banks by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

He said the CBN governor, Dr Godwin Emefiele, equally confirmed the directives of the apex bank to him during a phone call.

“Commercial banks have been directed by the Central Bank of Nigeria to dispense old currency notes and to also receive same as deposits from customers. Tellers at the commercial banks are to generate the codes for deposits and there is no limit to the number of times an individual or company can make deposits.

“The governor of the CBN gave the directive at a Bankers’ Committee meeting held Sunday, 12th March, 2023. The governor, Dr Godwin Emefiele, personally confirmed the above to me in  a phone conversation Sunday night.  Residents of Anambra are therefore advised to freely accept and transact their businesses with the old currency notes (N200; N500; and N1,000) as well as the new notes.

“Residents should report any bank that refuses to accept deposits of the old notes.  Anambra state government will not only report such a bank to the CBN, but also immediately shut down the defaulting branch,” he stated.