The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has urged Nigerians, especially in rural communities to deposit their old currencies in banks ahead of the January 31 deadline for its expiration.

Atiku Mohammed-Nasir, CBN’s Director of Security Services, said during a sensitisation visit to Doma market, Nasarawa State, on Wednesday. He noted that the January deadline was sacrosanct.

Mr Mohammed-Nasir encouraged the people of the area to deposit their old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes in the banks before the deadline to avoid losing their money.

He said that as part of efforts to ease the stress of changing cash for those without bank accounts, CBN engaged the services of super agents.

According to him, the super agents were in most rural communities to change a maximum of N10,000 per individual.

The director said that the e-banking team were also on hand to open bank accounts and e-Naira wallets for the people.

“The CBN is making all efforts to make sure that the people are comfortable and that no one loses money on the account of the new policy.

“The essence of the policy is to ensure that the unbanked population are brought into the banking system in line with global economic order.

“The currency exchange is just a temporary measure but the permanent solution is to get the populace to embrace e-banking,” he said.

Mr Mohammed-Nasir urged the people, especially traders and farmers to open accounts as commercial banks have simplified the process in order to accommodate more customers.

He said that the sensitisation exercise would be sustained till January 31.

The CBN team has so far visited communities in Doma, Obi, Akwanga and Wamba Local Government Area of the state.

Some of the traders and rural dwellers expressed delight with the new Naira policy and promised to embrace it.

They, however, said that the timing was too short for the currency exchange and appealed for its extension.

Rabiu Abogye, a trader in Doma, said the policy had encouraged him to open a bank account and that he was already enjoying the ease of transaction.

Fatima Sule, a farmer in Obi, and Esther Kyuni, a trader in Akwanga, both lauded CBN for the policy, but called for more time for adequate enlightenment in the rural communities.

(NAN)