SOME mega-churches, schools and retailers have set time limits for the collection of the old naira notes.
This comes ahead of the January 31 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria for the phasing out of the old N1,000, N500 and N200 notes.
A leading Pentecostal church, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, in a memo directed its church leaders to stop the collection of the old naira notes on January 29, 2023, about two days before the January 31 deadline set by the CBN.
The memo was signed by the Deeper Christian Life Ministry Church Secretary, Pastor S.M. Afuwape.
The internal memo, titled, ‘lodgement of old naira notes’ read, “Calvary’s greetings to you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is to inform you that the Central Bank of Nigeria deadline of 31st January 2023 on the validity of the old N200, N500 and N1000 notes in circulation is drawing near.
“The church will like to inform you to sensitize your members and the brethren to lodge all Tithes and Offerings collected in the Group on or before 29th January, 2023. Also, no old notes in the specified denominations above should be paid as offerings as from 29th January 2023. To this end, any old notes (in the prescribed denominations) brought to the headquarters which was not lodged in the bank will be paid for by the Group. Thanks for understanding and co-operation.”
Also, it further gathered that some provinces of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, had directed members to deposit old notes in their banks by January 26, about five days ahead of the CBN deadline.
On a WhatsApp platform of pastors in one of the RCCG provinces in Ota, Ogun State, members were advised to deposit old notes in banks or Point of Sale agents before the January 31 deadline.
The notice read in part, “Deposit all your old notes at your bank or the POS near you before 31st January 2023. Don’t bring them to church. Deadline for old notes acceptance Thursday, January 26, 2023.”
Similarly, findings show that the management of some primary and secondary schools have stopped the collection of old notes.
The management of the Christ The Redeemer Nursery and Primary School, a school belonging to the RCCG, in a notice to parents, said, “Please be informed that in line with the CBN directives, the school selling points will stop collecting old naira notes of N200, N500 and N1,000 from tomorrow, January 26, 2023. Only new naira notes will be acceptable please.”
Also, a school, Gemstars Schools, in a notice to parents, said, “In compliance with CBN directives on the new naira note, the school wishes to inform our parents and guardians that we shall end the collection of the old naira note by 3:00 pm Thursday 26th January 2023. All payments are to be made with the new currency, bank transfer or teller. This is to enable the school to mop up and exchange the old currencies that are still in our custody.”
Meanwhile, retailers known for cash transactions have informed customers about their decision to discontinue the collection of old notes.
Leading e-commerce platform, Jumia, announced that from Monday, January 30, 2023, it would no longer accept the old naira notes as a form of payment for goods purchased on the platform.
In a message to its customers on Thursday, the company said, “From Monday 30th January 2023, Jumia Delivery Associates will not be able to accept the old notes of N200, N500, N1,000 sequel to the directive by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“Should you wish to pay by cash, our delivery associates will only accept the new series of notes.”
