By Dipo Olowookere

One of Nigeria’s leading e-commerce companies, Jumia, has announced that starting Monday, January 30, 2023, it will stop accepting 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 this action followed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) decision to stop the use of N200, N500 and N1,000 for financial transactions in Nigeria from February 1. of 2023. .

On October 26, 2022, the Governor of the CBN, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, announced that all three denominations would be redesigned. The new banknotes were put into circulation on December 15, and Nigerians were asked to return the old banknotes on or before January 31, 2023.

Not to miss the deadline, and with the central bank insisting it would not extend the deadline, Jumia has said its customers have until Sunday to pay for their goods and services with the old notes.

“From Monday 30th January 2023, Jumia Delivery Associates will no longer be able to accept old N200, N500 and N1,000 notes as a result of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directive.

“If you wish to pay in cash, our delivery partners will only accept the new series of banknotes.

“Alternatively, you can find details on how to prepay on Jumia using JumiaPay or give us a call if you have any further questions.

“We will communicate further in the event of any changes from the federal government or the central bank,” the firm’s notice, which was seen by trade publicationstated.

Meanwhile, some churches in Lagos have asked their members not to pay tithes and offerings with the old notes from Sunday 29th January 2023 due to CBN directive.

“Referring to CBN’s directive and policy on old Naira notes, we hereby appeal to members not to come to church from this Sunday with old Naira notes (200, 500 and 1000).

“Please make your payments (tithes, offerings, project donations and other payments) in new Naira notes.

“You can also make an online transfer to designated accounts (see flyer for details).

“Please share this message with members who are not on this platform,” read a message from one of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) parishes.

In addition, this reporter’s checks indicated that some POS operators have said they will no longer accept old bills from their customers as of Saturday, January 28, 2023.

“I will not accept cash deposits with old Saturday bills because I know the banks will be full next week with people wanting to deposit their cash.

“This morning, I was at one of the banks to deposit the cash with me, but the crowd scared me.

“Banks kept giving customers the old banknotes. I am confused about the situation. We don’t have the new tickets. Almost all ATM terminals in this area do not deliver cash to customers,” said Modupe Adediran, a POS operator in the Egbeda area of ​​Lagos. Commercial mail.

Similarly, a merchant from Computer Village, Ikeja, Lagos, Mr. Ikenna Okechukwu, informed this reporter that he had stopped accepting old banknotes from his customers.

However, some commercial bus drivers in Lagos said they will continue to accept the old tickets next week.

“I have no problem with money. I strongly believe that the central bank will extend the term. The announcement will be made next week,” said a danfo driver in Ikeja, who gave his name as Mr Tajudeen.