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Naira Scarcity: Fear Grips Bank Officials As Anti-Grant Agencies, Mob Intensify Actions
Nigeria’s currency crisis has taken a new twist as some commercial banks shut down their operations on Monday over possible mob attacks from frustrated customers.
Also, financial experts disclosed that the ongoing crisis is self-inflicted.
For the past weeks, Nigerians have suffered from the pain of Naira scarcity.
The crisis might worsen if there is no significant improvement in the supply of the new currency nationwide as the February 10 deadline to phase out the old notes draws closer.
Customers have begun to act aggressively at the counters and cubicles of Automated Teller Machines, ATMs, a development that led some banks to beef up their premises with more security personnel and eventually shut down on Monday.
The aggression over the weekend recorded attacks in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, where the facility of a Wema Bank was vandalised by an angry mob, while at the University of Benin, there was a face-off between students and military men over withdrawals at the ATM, a development that led to vandalism.
DAILY POST gathered that some banks in Lagos, Osun, and other States shut down their operations as a precaution against mob attacks and asset vandalism.
A manager of a Tier-1 bank, known as Bello Muyiwa, disclosed that due to fear of mob action from customers, “we’ve decided to shut all operations except ATM services for the time being”.
Although the commercial banks have denied hoarding the naira notes, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, caught a bank manager in Abuja for refusing to load its ATM with N29 million new notes on Monday.
CBN and other stakeholders continued to accuse commercial banks of hoarding the new naira notes. Still, a statement made available to DAILY POST by the President of ACAMB read that banks are not hoarding new Naira notes, stating that normalcy is returning soon.
Following the rising demand by Nigerians and scarcity across the country, DAILY POST findings showed that sales of Naira notes continue to persist, despite CBN’s directives as the economy bites hard.
The scarcity of the newly redesigned Naira notes had generated serious outcry prior to the January 31 deadline set by the CBN for the old notes to cease from being legal tender.
DAILY POST learnt that many POS agents now charge as high as 20 per cent on new Naira notes transactions, while some charge 10 per cent to 15 per cent.
While many of the POS transaction points visited on Monday had their shops locked because of cash shortage, the few that operated imposed huge charges on cash withdrawals over the weekend.
Our correspondent, who visited the Ikeja axis of Lagos State, reports that POS agents charged N2,500 for the withdrawal of N10,000 and N1,300 for the withdrawal of N5,000.
In a chat with DAILY POSt on Monday, an Accounting and Financial Development don at Lead City University, Ibadan, Prof Godwin Oyedokun, said the currency crisis is self-inflicted, and the Central Bank of Nigeria and commercial banks should be held responsible.
“The problem we face in Nigeria is self-inflicted pain where some people who have power decided to use their influence on Nigerians.
“Banks hoarding this new Naira should be ready to lose some of their assets over customers’ frustration.
“I want to beg banks and authorities to make the new notes available for the use of Nigerians.
“In the first place, the deadline extension is a misplaced priority by CBN when they cannot prove to the public that they have sufficient currency notes.
“I believe that CBN is not doing enough to address the crisis. They are part of the people to be blamed; if they are sure commercial banks have been given sufficient new naira notes, they should publish names and amounts. Also, commercial banks should make it open how much money has been dispensed to Nigerians”, he stated.
On his part, a financial expert, Idakolo Gbolade, insisted that the CBN must sanction commercial banks hoarding the new naira notes to avert heightened tension.
“The banks should be afraid of mob attacks because, in recent days, evidence has shown on social media and in the news that banks are indeed hoarding the new notes. The CBN has even sanctioned some banks. These reports show our concerns that banks are primary saboteurs of the Naira redesign policy.
“The Federal government should take adequate steps to end the scarcity because of tension in the land due to the cash crunch. So many markets need to receive patronage, and even the transporters in significant cities need help with the new notes.
“The situation could worsen if the CBN fails to ensure banks dispense the new notes over the counter reasonably or extend the use of the old notes for a longer period”, he stated.
CBN needs to address scarcity – CPPE
In a swift response to the sale of Naira notes and the attacks on banks, the CEO of the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, Dr Muda Yusuf said that these are consequences of scarcity in any system.
He said, “Once you increase scarcity, all manners of practices will emerge.”
Yusuf said, “You now create a black market, you create hoarding, you make all sorts of problems.
“So what has happened is that the CBN still needs to address the problem of scarcity. The CBN has kept the thing they have mopped up to N2trn. How much have they given back? That is the source of the problem.
“If you mop up N2.1 trillion, How much did you give back to those who gave you the money?
“You can’t promote a cashless policy by sitting on people’s money. That is different from the way it is done.
“You told people that you are doing a cash drop; if I collect N1 million from David, I should be able to give back N1 million so that you will continue your business.
“If you now want to say that you want to bring it back, you get it out of your own volition.
“You can’t bring your N1 million to me, I will sit on it and now ask you to go to the counter and collect N20,000; money that you are using to do business. So, unless you compel the CBN to address this supply issue, this problem will not disappear.
“No matter how many battalions of army or police or DSS you send out, it will not go away. We need to address the problem of scarcity of currency notes, so that’s my view.
“You should give it back to the people, and if you don’t have the new notes, give them back old notes and extend this thing and let them continue their business.”
News
Oyo 2027: Adelabu Quits As Power Minister To Focus On Guber Race
The Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu has formally resigned from his position in the Federal Government to pursue his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
In a resignation letter dated April 22, 2026, and addressed to the President, Adelabu stated that his resignation will take effect on April 30, 2026, to enable him to focus on his governorship ambition in Oyo State.
The letter, routed through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, stated that he was stepping down with “a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude.”
He wrote, “I write with a deep sense of honour and profound gratitude to formally tender my resignation as the Honourable Minister of Power of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This resignation is to take effect on 30th April 2026, in order to allow sufficient time for a smooth and orderly handover of responsibilities.”
Adelabu thanked the President for the opportunity to serve, describing his appointment as a privilege.
He said, “Your Excellency, I remain sincerely grateful for the privilege and confidence you reposed in me by appointing me to serve our great nation in this capacity.
“It has been a rare honour to contribute to national development under your leadership and to play a role in advancing reforms in the power sector—one of the most critical foundations of Nigeria’s industrial growth and economic transformation.”
The former minister said his resignation was to enable him focus fully on his governorship ambition in Oyo State, citing provisions of the amended electoral law.
He added, “My decision to step down is informed by my intention to focus fully on my gubernatorial ambition in Oyo State. This aspiration, which dates back to 2016 during my service as Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, ultimately led to my voluntary resignation from the Central Bank in 2018 in order to pursue the same goal.”
“In line with the provisions of the Amended Electoral Act 2026, which preclude political office holders from contesting elections, I consider it both appropriate and necessary to resign at this time.”
Adelabu’s exit marks a major political development ahead of the next electoral cycle, particularly in Oyo State, where he is expected to contest the governorship election.
News
Wale Edun, Musa Dangiwa Resigned Voluntarily, Not Sacked – Presidency
The Presidency has clarified that Wale Edun (former Finance Minister) and Ahmed Musa Dangiwa (former Housing Minister) voluntarily resigned from their positions and were not sacked by President Tinubu.
In a statement released this evening April 22, presidential media aide, Bayo Onanuga, said that contrary to public opinions, Wale Edun resigned on health grounds while Dangiwa also tendered his resignation and thanked the President for the opportunity given him to serve in the Federal Executive Council.
Onanuga stated that Edun, who clocked 70 on Monday and has battled recent ill health, fittingly submitted his resignation letter on his birthday, thanking the President for the opportunity to serve Nigeria.
“It has been a pleasure and privilege to serve your administration and the Renewed Hope Agenda, Under your leadership, Nigeria has emerged stronger, more resilient and more internationally respected. I wish you and the administration every success in the future” he wrote
Onanuga stated that on Tuesday, before the Office of the Secretary of the Government of the Federation announced his departure from the Cabinet, Edun paid a valedictory visit to the President at the Villa and held an hour-long discussion with the president and then left to focus on his private businesses.
The presidential aide stated that President Tinubu has expressed deep appreciation to Edun and Dangiwa for their dedicated service and significant contributions to the administration’s economic reform programme and wished them continued success in their future endeavours.
‘’In the same vein, the President has urged the new Minister of Finance, Taiwo Oyedele, to consolidate ongoing reforms and advance the administration’s fiscal and economic objectives with renewed focus, discipline, and innovation.
President Tinubu will shortly send the ministerial nominee for housing, Muttaqha Rabe Darma, also from Katsina, like Dangiwa, to the Senate for confirmation” the statement concluded
News
Unity Bank, Experts Advocate Green Investment, Climate Innovation To Drive Economic Resilience
Nigeria’s retail lender, Unity Bank Plc, alongside leading climate innovation experts, has called for increased investment in the green economy and the adoption of frontier technologies as critical pathways to driving economic resilience and reducing the impact of climate change on vulnerable populations across Africa.
The call was made during a thought-provoking webinar hosted by the Bank to commemorate this year’s Earth Day, themed “The True Cost of Climate Change and Who Pays?”. Climate experts and stakeholders convened to examine the human, economic, and institutional costs of climate change, while spotlighting practical solutions to address its growing impact.
In his opening remarks, Unity Bank’s Head of Strategy and Innovation, Ibukun Coker, emphasised the urgency of addressing climate risks from both a societal and business perspective.
He said: “Climate change is no longer a distant or abstract challenge. It is an existential threat with direct consequences for individuals, businesses, and economies. At Unity Bank, we recognise the role institutions must play in incorporating sustainability in project financing, supporting businesses and promoting solutions that build resilience in communities where we operate.”
The webinar featured Chinwe Udo-Davis, Founder and CEO of Instollar, and Oluwatosin Ajide, Programme Manager at the Nigeria Climate Innovation Centre, both of whom provided insights into the drivers of climate change and the pathways to mitigation and adaptation.
Speaking during the session, Udo-Davis highlighted the disproportionate burden which climate change places on underserved communities and the need for inclusive solutions.
“The true cost of climate change is not evenly distributed. Communities with the least resources are often the most affected, whether through energy poverty, environmental degradation, or limited access to sustainable alternatives. Addressing this imbalance requires intentional investment in clean energy solutions that are both accessible and scalable.”
Ajide underscored the importance of coordinated, system-wide approaches in tackling climate challenges, particularly through innovation and policy alignment.
“Climate change is fundamentally a structural problem, and its solution requires a paradigm shift: from innovation and policy to financing and implementation. Stakeholders must work collaboratively to drive solutions that are sustainable and inclusive.”
The session also explored emerging opportunities in climate technology, renewable energy, and ecosystem financing, reinforcing the role of innovation and cross-sector collaboration in building long-term resilience.
By hosting the webinar, Unity Bank continues to demonstrate its commitment to advancing sustainability-focused dialogue and supporting initiatives that promote responsible growth and environmental stewardship.
The initiative underscores the Bank’s broader strategic focus on environmental sustainability as well as its commitment to financial inclusion.
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