CBN Takes eNaira Sensitisation to UNN, VC Pledges Support

Gideon Arinze in Enugu

The Vice Chancellor of the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Charles Igwe, has pledged to ensure the success of the e-Naira initiative of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the institution.

According to him, the policy, if well implemented, would deepen financial inclusion, speed transaction processes and enhance financial security.

Igwe, made this known yesterday, when he received a team from the CBN who were in the university for a sensitisation programme on the eNaira.

Igwe, who was represented by the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Academics, Prof. Pat Okpoko, said apart from the benefits, the other issues and questions regarding the policy must be looked into and addressed so that no Nigerian loses money in the course of transactions.

He said, “e-Naira is like any other policy issue in this country. Nigeria is one of the countries that can produce policies that are very, very competitive globally, but our usual problem is implementation.

“If you take a policy from the US on digital currency and put it side by side with Nigeria, we can compete. When we implement you see them do 80 percent, 90 percent, Nigeria will do 20 percent. And that is where the issue lies, how do you implement it?”

The VC urged the CBN to deploy all the facilities required, especially concerning offline transactions, in order to deliver where there are no internet services.

He promised to partner the country’s apex bank to ensure the success of the programme, noting that UNN as a premier university and the first indigenous university in the country with a huge student population was well positioned to play a key role in that direction.

Earlier, the leader of the delegation, Assistant Director. Payment System Management Department of the CBN, Chika Ugwueze,

stated that they were in the office of the VC to inform him and management of the institution of a two-day sensitisation programme on the eNaira policy which was taking place within the university.