Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji has urged residents to continue accepting both old and new naira notes in accordance with the Supreme Court judgment that extended the validity of the N500 and N1,000 old notes until December 2023. In a statement released on Saturday by his Special Adviser on Media, Yinka Oyebode, titled “Oyebanji urges Ekiti residents to accept old naira notes,” the governor appealed to all businesses operating in the state to remain law‑abiding and to accept the old currency.
He called on banks to make the old notes available at all branches and pay points, and urged traders, business owners, service providers, okada riders, drivers, filling stations, gas stations, supermarkets, schools, hospitals, and POS operators to start accepting the old notes immediately. “To do otherwise would amount to defying the ruling of the highest court in the country and thwarting government efforts at reducing the hardship of the people,” he said.
Oyebanji warned that it is unlawful for any business owner or service provider to reject the old notes and that the government will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute those who do. He expressed concern over reports that many businesses in the state have refused to accept the old notes and reiterated the Supreme Court’s reprieve, which extends the notes’ validity to 31 December 2023.
The state government, along with other states, had sought the Supreme Court’s intervention to reverse the new‑naira policy, arguing that it caused severe pain, hardship, and crippled economic activity. Oyebanji urged all honorable citizens to abide by the apex court’s ruling, continue accepting the old notes, and avoid further hardship by rejecting them. He pledged that his administration will keep exploring ways to improve the lives of the people as Ekiti moves toward greater prosperity.
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