The residents made the claim in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday in Ilorin.
Mr. Salihu Abdul Malika mechanical engineer, said the new coin almost caused a big problem near his office due to ignorance of its existence.
Abdulmalik explained that one of his customers ate a plate of food that cost N800 and paid N1000 in the new currency, but the vendor accused him of spending foreign currency.
“The man paid N1,000 for a plate of food he bought and demanded change for N200, but immediately the saleswoman saw the new note and raised the alarm, accusing him of spending foreign currency.
“She called the people around and tore the man’s cloth, saying that he wanted to deceive her and pay with a bill of an unknown currency.
“The timely intervention of someone who confirmed the money saved the man from further embarrassment as many people in the place are unaware of Naira’s new note.” he said.
Lady Iya Titilayo in Oja-tuntun he also said that some merchants have not yet accepted the new Naira note from customers, because they are unaware of its existence.
He explained that some people are aware of its existence but were afraid that others would not accept it, so they refused to accept it from customers.
Speaking to NAN, a staff member of one of the commercial banks in Ilorin who spoke anonymously, however, assured that the new Naira notes would be available at ATMs from 31 January 2023.
He explained that the launch of the new Naira notes in ATMs would start as soon as the old coins ceased to be in circulation as per government instructions on January 31, 2023.
NAN recalls that the Federal Government approved the circulation of the new Naira from December 15, after President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the redesigned notes on November 23.
The new Naira notes include N200, N500 and N1,000, but they have yet to be dispensed at ATMs across the state.
