eNaira: CBN Woos Tri-cycles Operators, Offers 5% Discounts on Transactions

James Emejo in Abuja

In a bid to deepen the adoption of eNaira in the country, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has offered a five per cent discount to tri-cycles operators popularly known as Keke NAPEP as well as their customers, should they use the digital currency as means of payment.

The bank has announced the commencement of a nationwide awareness campaign to drive the adoption of the digital currency at the grassroots.

Speaking at the eNaira Onboarding programme for Keke NAPEP riders in Abuja, CBN Director, Information Technology Department, Hajiya Rekiya Mohammed, said the apex bank seeks to promote awareness and get people intimated with the new form of money and understand its use.

She said part of the objectives was to also unboard the people and guide them to make use of the digital money in a simplified way.

The CBN director said, “We are here with the wider community of Keke NAPEP riders as our adoption drive covers all segments of the economy from government institutions, businesses, MSMEs and also day-to-day traders”

Mohammed, who also doubles as Coordinator, Technical Working Committee on eNaira, added that “We hope this engagement will improve everybody’s understanding of eNaira, know its benefits and that the people we engage will help us drive its use, as well as educate people about what it is.”

The CBN director was represented at the by an Officer in the Information Technology Department of the bank, Dr. Khalipha Nuhu.

She said the ultimate target was to get people to use eNaira and understand its numerous benefits.

However, CBN Consultant on the drive of eNaira, Dr. Aminu Bizi, said it is saddled with the responsibility of driving the digital currency adoption in the country, thus flag-off of the Keke Napep initiative.

He said the CBN had decided to have a subsidy for both riders and their customers.

Bizi said, “For example, a customer has five per cent discount for using eNaira to pay for transportation with the riders.  At the same time, the keke napep rider will also have a five per cent instant discount.

He said the awareness will be expanded to other states of the federation.

He said, “The essence of this is to reach the grassroots and not elites because the akara woman and tea seller, food vendor, shoe-shiners – if they can receive their money through digital currency, then the eNaira is good to go.