President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Thursday has proposed new deadline for the use of old naira notes.
Recall that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had redesigned the naira last year, a move the suspended CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele claimed it will stop vote buying in the general election, Kidnapping and banditry among others.
CBN set a deadline for the old notes usage but later extended it after public outcry.
However, ruling in a suit filed by some aggrieved governors who were not satisfied with the policy, the Supreme Court shifted the deadline to December 2023.
But in an Advisory Report released by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Policy Advisory Council chaired by Senator Tokunbo Abiru, December 2024 deadline is stated to be considered for the old naira notes.
Abiru was the Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank before he was elected into the Senate to represent Lagos East following the death of Senator Gbenga Oshinowo, his predecessor.
Also on the council is Dr Yemi Cardoso, a strong ally of the president, who played key role when Tinubu was governor of Lagos State.
The policy also outlined the planned achievements of the incumbent administration within 8 years, revealing Tinubu’s plan to seek a second term.
Tinubu currently has a 4-year mandate, having been elected on February 25, 2023.
Listed among the plans are doubling the economy to $1 trillion, achieving 7% average annual GDP rate; lifting 100 million people out of poverty; creating enabling environment to generate over 50 million jobs, among others.
Also listed in the advisory is the president’s position on abolishing of multiple exchange rate window, which was finally implemented by the CBN on Wednesday.