Bitcoin adoption in Nigeria soars as central bank blocks remittances in Naira
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s “Naira defense” policy is pushing more Nigerians towards Bitcoin and crypto adoption. Peer-to-peer (P2P) Bitcoin (BTC) volume in Nigeria continues to rise as Africa’s largest economy remains a bastion for crypto adoption. According to Quartz Africa, data from the Bitcoin P2P marketplace Paxful show the country ranks second only to the United States in trading volume.Since 2015, Nigerians have traded over 60,200 BTC on the Paxful platform amounting to about $566 million in volume over the period. Data from Coin Dance shows trading activity for the week ending....
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The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) plans to launch a digital naira pilot program later in October 2021, as part of its central bank digital currency project (CBDC). Central Bank of Nigeria To Launch Digital Naira The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been in the news for its anti-cryptocurrency actions throughout much of 2021. […]
The Central Bank of Nigeria has said it wants players in the country’s payment industry to develop and help introduce products based on its central bank digital currency, the e-naira.
Central Bank Open to Suggestions
In its bid to deepen the adoption of the e-naira, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has asked payment service providers, financial institutions, and fintech firms to develop and introduce products that are based on its digital currency.
According to a report by the Vanguard, this plea was made by Rakiya Mohammed — the CBN’s director....
In a possible policy shift, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently allowed the local naira currency to briefly drop to a new low of USD$1 for 419.75 nairas on May 14, 2021. However, by close of business the naira had recovered and was trading around 411.25. Before the latest adjustment, the naira had fluctuated between 380 and 381 to the dollar since July last year. Unifying Multiple Exchange Rates Meanwhile, a report in the Nigerian media has speculated that the seeming devaluation of the naira indicates that the CBN is now working towards “unifying multiple exchange....
Apathetic Nigerian lenders are frustrating the e-naira’s adoption because they are worried this could deprive them of a key revenue source, Godwin Emefiele, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor, has said. Emefiele said the central bank is working on a channel that would enable Nigerians without bank accounts to open e-naira wallets. E-Naira Undercuts Lenders’ Investment in Mobile Banking Infrastructure The Nigerian central bank governor, Godwin Emefiele, has reportedly slammed some lenders he accuses of thwarting the adoption of the e-naira digital currency in the....
Fighting to stop the value of the naira from dropping further, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) faces yet another problem: abuse of naira banknotes. According to the CBN’s Aladeen Badajo, the central bank is concerned with the rate at which Nigerians “mutilate, deface, squeeze and even spray and sell the naira notes.” He adds that as a result of this abuse, Nigeria is now spending more money on reprinting banknotes than it should. According to a report that quotes Badajo, an assistant director at the CBN’s Currency Operations Department, offenders now face....