Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria to extend the January 31 deadline for the phasing out of the old notes.

Yobe State Governor, Mai Mala Buni, has appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria to extend the January 31 deadline for the phasing out of the old notes. Buni urged the apex bank to give a special concession and alternatives to Yobe residents for the change of the naira notes. Speaking through his spokesman in a press conference on Sunday, Mamman Mohammed, the governor said the appeal is necessary due to the lack of banking services in most parts of the state. He explained that only four out of the seventeen local government areas in the state have banks, making it difficult for people in the remaining thirteen local government areas to access banking services.

According to the governor, CBN should also ensure commercial banks open branches in the local government council headquarters now that there is improved peace and security across the state. The governor further expressed fears that until something urgent is done, many people may fall victims of failing to change to the new notes. Since the apex bank announced the new N200, N500, and N1,000 denominations on October 26, 2022, the CBN has insisted that the deadline will not be extended.