Why Nigerians Still Shunning The eNaira

Central Bank of Nigeria

There are indications that many Nigerians have failed to embrace the digital currency launched by the central bank a year ago. It could be recalled that recently, Nigeria’s central bank turned to the nation’s three-wheeler taxi operators to speed the adoption of the eNaira, as regulators across the world scrutinise its every move.

The apex bank offered a 5% discount to drivers and passengers of the motorised rickshaws — known locally as Keke Napep — who use the eNaira. It’s the latest attempt to kick-start the digital currency, which has so far attracted just one in 200 people in the continent’s most populous country.

Central Bank of Nigeria
Central Bank of Nigeria

Analysts say that the central bank’s focus on the digital currency is creating confusion among many Nigerians, who fail to see the difference between the government-backed eNaira and cryptocurrencies. For drivers of Keke Napep, the most popular form of transport around the gridlocked streets of Lagos and other cities, the heavy promotion of the eNaira just as authorities crack down on cryptocurrencies has them befuddled. The Central Bank of Nigeria has barred commercial banks from doing business with crypto exchanges.

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When Nigeria became the first African nation to start a central bank digital currency, or CBDC, it was partly targeting the almost 40 million people in the country without a bank account. Policymakers also hoped to take a share of Nigeria’s multibillion-dollar remittance flows and widen the country’s tax base.

The results, so far, have been disappointing. While the eNaira uses similar distributed ledger technology as bitcoin or ethereum and can be saved in digital wallets, Nigerians’ passion for cryptocurrencies doesn’t extend to the central bank offering.

Virtual currencies have lured Nigerians as a hedge against inflation and currency depreciation, but eNaira is seen as a proxy for the challenges facing the continent’s biggest economy and a symbol of distrust in the ruling elite.

CBDCs emerged amid the rise of thousands of cryptocurrencies, which are disrupting traditional payment systems and pushing central bankers to innovate to compete. The digital money aims to make payments safer, cheaper and more reliable, while giving governments in poorer nations an alternative to underdeveloped banking systems.

Although central banks typically are not aiming for universal adoption, they do need to achieve a critical mass of users, said Tommaso Mancini-Griffoli, a deputy division chief in the monetary and capital markets department at the International Monetary Fund. Authorities are targeting the “sweet spot”, as excessive CBDC usage could disrupt the flow of credit and potentially disintermediate commercial banks overnight, he said.

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The relatively low adoption up until this point, while not uncommon for countries in the early phases of launching a digital currency may be caused by insufficient incentives for commercial banks or mistargeted consumer messaging, according to John Kiff, MD of the CBDC Think Tank.

Nigeria’s central bank remains upbeat. After attracting almost a million people to its digital platform, it’s targeting eight million users by next August.

All the eNaira needs is “a little push from the government”, said Kingsley Obiora, deputy governor in charge of economic policy at the central bank.

A shortage of dollars has prompted the central bank to ration foreign exchange in the official market prompting residents to turn to the more expensive parallel market and cryptocurrencies.

Even though the central bank last year asked lenders in the West African nation not to transact with cryptocurrency exchanges, Nigeria ranked 11th in the world in adopting cryptos, according to blockchain specialist Chainalysis. 

With money loaded on eNaira wallets not counting as cash on a lender’s book, banks have little incentive to market the digital currency.

Nigeria’s enthusiasm for virtual currencies partly reflects a long history of naira depreciation. Africa’s largest economy has devalued the naira about six times since 2015, and Bank of America economist Tatonga Rusike expects a further 20% weakening next year. Those concerns are compounded by record interest rates and inflation at a 17-year high.

That makes the eNaira a hard sell, particularly as it faces competition from established mobile banking apps. With money loaded on eNaira wallets not counting as cash on a lender’s book, banks also have little incentive to market the digital currency, said Babatunde Obrimah, chief operating officer of the Fintech Association of Nigeria.

At the same time, millennials and generation Z — the main cryptocurrency users — are suspicious of the central bank’s project. “They see the regulator as hostile to them and therefore have no interest in anything it introduces,” Obrimah said.

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Since August, Nigerians without bank accounts have also been able to open eNaira wallets using a mobile USSD code. Still, the government may need to provide further impetus, according to Adedeji Olowe, founder of Open Banking Nigeria.

A positive sign is that those who have adopted the eNaira are active users, according to Lipsky of the Atlantic Council. That’s the opposite of China, where hundreds of millions opened wallets during a pilot CBDC phase but with very low activity for the average user, he said.

For the moment, the eNaira continues to struggle, especially among the poorest communities it’s targeting. “Did you say eNaira? I don’t even have a bank account, let alone an eNaira account,” said Adamu Alidu, another taxi driver in Abuja. “Me, I don’t know anything about it.”

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Nigeria Postpones Launch of its Digital Currency, the E-Naira

The much awaited launching of the eNaira, the digital currency being promoted by Nigeria through its Central Bank has been postponed. According to the Bank’s spokesperson Mr Osita Nwanisobi, the launch, which was earlier scheduled for October 1, was postponed due to other activities lined up to commemorate the country’s 61st independence anniversary.

eNaira
eNaira

Nwanisobi said that the CBN and other partners were working round-the-clock to ensure a seamless process that would be in the overall interest of customers, especially the unbanked population.

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He said that with the e-Naira, Nigerians would be able to carry out peer-to-peer transfer to another person’s e-Naira wallet as well as pay for goods and services at selected merchants.

He added that the e-Naira would also help to reduce the use of cash and ensure the stability of the Nigerian economy.

The director assured Nigerians that financial institutions in Nigeria remained key actors and were a critical part of the CBN Digital Currency.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that some financial experts had earlier cautioned the apex bank to be a bit cautious and not to hasten to launch the digital currency.

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Analysts have adviced the apex bank to engage more stakeholders in consultations and to carry out adequate sensitisation before launching the e-Naira.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Nigeria’s eNaira Goes Live, Records One Million Hit In Day One

CBN Governor Godwin Emefiele

The platform of Nigeria’s digital currency the eNaira which went live on Monday recording over a million hits in its first 24 hours of going live a week to its official launching by the Central Bank of Nigeria. The eNaira which is a digital currency issued by the apex bank is seen as the government’s efforts to be in the driving seat of the growing adoption of digital currency in the country and counter unregulated cryptocurrencies.

The Central Bank says that it is encouraged by the huge enthusiasm shown by people contrary to reports that the digital currency would attract such interests.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor
Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor

Customers will benefit the following from the website’s simplified financial transactions: sending money to one another using a linked bank account or credit card; ability to transfer money from their bank account to their eNaira wallet with ease; ability to monitor their eNaira wallet, check balances, and view transaction history; and ability to make in-store payments using their eNaira wallet by scanning QR codes. Customers will also be allowed to scan the QR Code on the website to get started.

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Recently, the CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele while speaking at a gathering of foreign investors in New York said the October 1 launch date will likely be rescheduled due to activities surrounding the country’s Independence Day celebration. Emefiele said the launch would be held on October 4, 2021.

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The Central Bank announced the formal engagement of global fintech company, Bitt Inc., as its technical partner for the development of its digital currency.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry

Nigeria’s Digital Currency: The Central Bank Partners Bitt Inc on eNaira

CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that it will partner with Bitt Inc. as a technical partner in its bid to launch its own digital currency, the “eNaira”. The apex bank made this known during the formal engagement of Bitt Inc., a global fintech company, as the technical partner for its digital currency, eNaira.

Bitt Inc. is a Barbados-based startup that led the development of the Eastern Caribbean Currency Union’s “DCash” — the first digital cash issued by a currency union central bank.

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, made the announcement in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Osita Nwanisobi in Abuja, on Monday.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor
Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor

According to Emefiele, the benefits of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) include increased cross-border trade, accelerated financial inclusion, cheaper, and faster remittances.

Others are easier targeted social interventions, as well as improvements in monetary policy effectiveness, payment systems efficiency, and tax collection.

In July, the apex bank said it will launch the pilot scheme of eNaira by October 1, 2021.

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CBN’s spokesperson, Osita Nwanisobi in the statement, explained that the selection of Bitt Inc. from among highly competitive bidders was hinged on the company’s technological competence, efficiency, platform security, interoperability, and implementation experience.

The statement read, “In choosing Bitt Inc, the CBN will rely on the company’s tested and proven digital currency experience, which is already in circulation in several Eastern Caribbean Countries. 

“Bitt Inc. was key to the development and successful launch of the central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in April 202I.”

According to the spokesperson, the apex bank’s decision to digitise the naira in 2017, Project Giant, as the Nigerian CBDC pilot is known, has been a long and thorough process for the CBN.

Nwanisobi added that the CBN’s decision follows an unmistakable global trend in which over 85 percent of central banks are now considering adopting digital currencies in their countries.

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He noted the global adoption of digital currencies to the significant explosion in digital payments and the rise in the digital economy. Earlier this year, the apex bank directed banks to close accounts of persons or entities involved in cryptocurrency transactions.

CBN cautioned that cryptocurrencies pose the risk of loss of investments, terrorism financing, money laundering, illicit fund flows, and other criminal activities.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry