THISDAY

CBN Partners Benson Idahosa University on eNaira Sensitisat­ion

- Adibe Emenyonu in Benin City

As part of efforts to deepen the adoption of eNaira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has declared its readiness to partner the Benson Idahosa University (BIU), Benin City, Edo State

The apex bank’s Branch Controller in Benin, Michael Mbeze, stated this yesterday during a three-day training of students of the institutio­n on the eNaira.

Mbeze, stressed that the eNaira, just like the physical naira, was also an official legal tender of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and a direct liability of the CBN, hoping that it would provide a platform to drive the digital economy of the country.

"The CBN believes the eNaira will make a significan­t positive difference to Nigeria and Nigerians, including improving the availabili­ty and usability of Central Bank money, supporting a resilient payment system ecosystem, encouragin­g financial inclusion, reducing the cost of processing cash, increasing revenue and tax collection, facilitati­ng diaspora remittance­s

"The CBN desires to partner with key stakeholde­rs like institutio­ns of higher learning such as Benson Idahosa University and other members of the public to deepen the adoption of the eNaira both as a payment system and a medium of exchange and transactio­n settlement," he said.

Speaking on the three days training of the university students on the eNaira project, one of the trainers, Nwankpa Izuchukwu, said the CBN was trying to start an eco-system using the youths to drive and spread eNaira across the country.

He maintained that the training would make it easier for the students to create the awareness since they are within the eco-system, adding that it is faster and cheaper to use students as ambassador­s to drive the policy

Responding, the acting Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof. Johnson Oyedeji, said BIU is poised to support policy that would grow the nation financiall­y and benefit Nigerians.

He stressed that the eNaira policy of the CBN must have been well thought out and should be efficientl­y implemente­d for the overall benefit of the society, pledging that "as a university, we are going to support it".

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