Digital Payments Push Fails to Deter Demand for Cash in Nigeria

The push for digital payments in Nigeria has failed to deter the demand for cash as proposed by the Central bank of Nigeria (CBN). Despite the push by the authorities to engender cashless transactions and control the supply of money in the Country, cash circulation is still on the rise.

According to a report in October, the amount of naira notes and coins circulating has increased by 4.6% to $7.3 billion within the economy from the previous month based on the data by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). M2 or broad money supply rose to a record of about N41.4 trillion in the same month.

Increasing Cash Demands

The increase in the demand for cash causing Nigeria’s currency-in-circulation indicates the lag in the digitization of Naira (digital payment) and monetary control.

In October 2021, Nigeria introduced a digital currency (e-Naira) while a host of Fintech companies are making efforts to pitch to residents of the nation where about 36% of grown-ups have no access to banking services yet cash is still the main mode of transaction especially in the rural areas.

The rise in the money supply also spiked the risk of inflation which at 15.99% has exceeded the Central Bank’s single-digit target for 6 years. The regulators have strived to keep the policy rate unchanged since last year at 11.5% in a bid to rein in on the price rise.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had hope that the advent of the digital currency, e-Naira, will expand the digital payments thereby reducing the cost of printing and cash processing as well as aid to deepen financial inclusion luring about half a million (500,000) people on the digital platform as of the Middle of November.

Despite all these, Financial Technology firms, the likes of TeamApt Ltd, and Opay are captivating private equity funds as they are scaling up in the continent’s biggest economy.

 

 

DON’T MISS AN UPDATE

Be the first to know when we publish something new

We don’t spam! Read our privacy policy for more info.

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Abidemi Ogunyemi-Aderibigbe
A committed and dedicated Muslimah, tech enthusiast, articulator, cloud enthusiast. I am a hardworking person with a high level of integrity.

Get in Touch

  1. Hello,
    We are two Master students from Europe working on a project to connect African talents with European companies for potential outsourcing opportunities. We would love to connect with you to better understand the scope of your initiative and to discuss potential future partnerships. We would appreciate it If you could be available for a short call to do so. You can book a suitable slot via this link.
    We are looking forward to hearing from you.
    Have a great day,
    Lisa Leibold

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Exit mobile version