NEW NAIRA NOTES ARE SURCHARGED BY POS OPERATORS.

The new naira notes are generating strong business for some Point of Sale (PoS) businesses in satellite towns of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has set January 31 as the limit for the usage of the old naira notes, according to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

In the Nyanya, Mararaba, and Karu regions of the territory, some of the Pos locations visited were either not dispensing the new notes or were asking extra money for them.

An employee in Nyanya named Miss Dera Akoh was charging N200 for each N2000 in brand-new notes given out.

She bemoaned the fact that banks were not also giving them access to enough brand-new naira notes.

“The customer will pay me N200 for every N2000 you withdraw.

Even in banks, it is exceedingly challenging for us to obtain the new notes.

“Last time I went to the bank, they gave me new notes for just N5000. We are not to blame, she said.

A other operator in Nyanya, Mrs. Peace Akande, said that she charged N150 for every N1500 withdrew.

She urged the CBN to establish a monitoring system for banks to make sure they weren’t misusing the new naira notes for other purposes that might harm the general public.

A PoS employee at Mararaba named Mr. Isah Abdullahi stated that he was out of fresh notes with which to pay consumers.

He pleaded with the clients to take out only what they could spend prior to the previous naira notes’ expiration date.

Residents of a settlement in the Lugbe region, including Mr. Anthony Ali, claimed that operators were demanding N500 for every N5,000 withdrew.

“Today in Lugbe, the operators will pay you N4500 instead of the normal N100 if you wish to collect N5000, and they will collect their N500 fee.

“This is quite annoying. CBN needs to move more quickly.

He replied, “They ought to make these new naira notes available for use.”

According to NAN, the Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) in the majority of the banks inspected in the FCT’s Central Area did not dispense cash.

Some customers at Sterling and First Banks in the neighborhood expressed regret that the new notes weren’t being used widely.

They asked CBN to make the notes easily accessible and used by everyone. (NAN)(www.nannews.ng)

NAN also reports that the CBN has received requests to extend the deadline of January 31 for the collection of old naira notes from a number of entities.