President Buhari has on Monday, declared the official use of the new era electronic version of the nation’s local paper currency, e-naira.
Present at the unveiling were the Vice-President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, Naija News understands.
The E-Naira will hold equal value with the paper currency and will be issued by the CBN.
Nigerian authorities say the currency is not intended to replace cash but will function as a safe and efficient alternative means of payment.
The eNaira will be a Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), issued by the government, and it will have the same value as the paper, or fiat, currency.
It is understood that CBDCs is far different from cryptocurrencies in being regulated and therefore subject to banking laws. They are issued by a central authority and are therefore trusted by traders. The CBN issued its regulatory guidelines for the eNaira on 1 October.
The eNaira was scheduled to be launched on October 1, 2021, but was moved due to a clog of activities billed for Nigeria’s 61st-anniversary celebrations.
The Digital Currency has two applications – eNaira speed wallet and eNaira merchant wallet, which were launched on the Google Playstore and Apple Store on Monday.
A statement on the eNaira website explained the overall function of the currency and its value to Nigeria’s economy.
The statement read, “eNaira is a Central Bank of Nigeria-issued digital currency that provides a unique form of money denominated in Naira.
“eNaira serves as both a medium of exchange and a store of value, offering better payment prospects in retail transactions when compared to cash payments.”
