Banks run out of old, new naira notes to pay customers

THE NATION

Many banks ran out of old and new naira notes yesterday, dashing Nigerians’ hopes that the cash scarcity will ease soon.

When the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced on Monday that the old N1000, N500 and N200 banknotes would remain legal tender alongside the redesigned banknotes till December 31, 2023, in compliance with the Supreme Court judgment, many heaved a sigh of relief.

But many bank branches remained shut across the country; those that had cash rationed it.

It was learnt that the CBN was yet to supply the old notes to the banks.

In many branches, crowds gathered in banking halls and at the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs).

In Jos, the Plateau State capital, customers were told there was no money.

An official, who pleaded not to be named, told our correspondent that the branch had no money to dispense.

He said: “The truth is there is no cash. The banks are interested in doing business, but CBN is yet to release cash to us.

“I have sympathy with our customers who are left stranded, but the truth is, there is nothing we can do about it. We don’t have the cash.”

In Imo, none of the ATMs our correspondent visited dispensed cash.

Some residents got to the bank before 6 am only to be told there was no money.

“We were told to return tomorrow (today) after they paid a few customers the old naira notes,” a resident, simply identified as Meshack, said.

In Lagos, banks set up canopies so customers could sit and wait.

In many of the branches in Ibeju-Lekki, Victoria Island and Ikoyi, many customers queued for hours to withdraw cash.

Mrs. Nkiru Onyema said she spent over three hours before she was paid N20,000 across the counter.

Another customer, Stephen Abiodun, said he came early, but was yet to be attended to an hour later.

The limit policy meant that each customer could not withdraw more than N20,000 daily.

Many banks within the Ajah axis of Lagos had no cash. Their ATMs were not working.

In many of the branches visited, only few ATMs were operational.

It was a similar tale across the country.

Customers were crowded in most banks in Calabar, the Cross River State capital.

Branches that had cash paid only N20,000 to each customer.

Banks are also not getting regular deposits, even of old notes.

A worker said customers would rather sell the new notes than deposit them.