The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring the availability of clean currency notes with the right mix, while also encouraging citizens to be ambassadors of clean Naira notes. This pledge was made by MHakama Ali, Acting Director of the Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, at the CBN Special Day during the ongoing 20th Abuja International Trade Fair (AITF) in Abuja.
The trade fair, which commenced on September 25th and will end on October 6, is themed “Sustainable: Consumption, Incentives and Taxation”. According to Ali, the CBN will continue its efforts to ensure the availability of clean currency notes with the right mix, and urged citizens to respect and keep the Naira clean, avoiding practices such as spraying, hawking, mutilating, or counterfeiting the currency.
The CBN’s management is dedicated to addressing the challenges faced by Nigerians, with the aim of boosting productivity and strengthening the local economy against external shocks. To achieve economic sustainability, the bank is focusing on three key areas: strong financial systems, a stable foreign exchange market, and collaboration between monetary and fiscal authorities. The bank’s efforts in these areas have produced positive results, with external reserves reaching $43.05 billion on September 11, 2025, up from $40.51 billion at the end of July 2025.
The CBN has also continued to address macro-economic challenges, ensuring that the banking system remains robust and resilient. As of recently, 14 banks have met their recapitalization requirements, and the bank is closely monitoring the remaining banks to ensure the successful completion of the exercise. The trade fair theme aligns with the CBN’s goal to improve investor confidence, which has been evident in the significant increase in foreign investments.
Furthermore, the CBN will continue to lead innovations in the payments system landscape, with its Payme Systems Vision 2028 initiative aiming to future-proof Nigeria’s payments ecosystem, broaden financial inclusion, improve security, and minimize downtime for faster and more efficient transactions. The bank’s commitment to youth empowerment, capacity building, and targeted sectoral interventions in areas such as agriculture, housing, healthcare, and education has also been appreciated by the Director-General of the Abuja Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), Agaidu Jideani.
The CBN’s role in stabilizing inflation and ensuring confidence in the financial system remains essential to business sustainability and competitiveness. The bank’s efforts to reduce barriers to doing business and de-risk critical sectors for private investment are also creating a more inclusive and resilient economy. As the CBN continues to work towards achieving economic sustainability, its commitment to clean currency notes, financial inclusion, and innovation in the payments system will be crucial in guiding the Nigerian economy towards robust and inclusive growth.
