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Nigeria: Becoming World’s First Cashless Country, Counteracting Corruption Crisis
By Joel Popoola
A little over a year ago, I called on President Buhari to make Nigeria the first country on Earth to abolish cash.
Perhaps he was listening.
This week, the President announced that Nigeria is to become the first African nation to introduce a digital currency.
The so-called eNaira is designed to cut transaction costs and boost participation in the formal financial system, with the President stating in a televised address that its technology can also “increase Nigeria’s gross domestic product by $29 billion over the next 10 years”.
This is the Nigeria we want to see: Bold, creative, modern, capable of continental leadership – and driven by digital technology.
In many ways we are the ideal society to pilot this innovation. Within the next couple of years the vast majority of Nigerians will own a smartphone, and our nation is already home to Africa’s greatest and most important e-payment businesses – such as Flutterwave, Opay and Andela .
It has always been something of an amusement to me that while many Nigerians are used to receiving money electronically from relatives overseas our entire economy still expects them to queue up kiosks for cash when spending that money at home – when every transaction can be done electronically with the touch of a button!
Although old-fashioned currency will be with us for some time to come, there is no question cash’s days are numbered.
It’s not just out-of-date – in a time of COVID-19 and civil insecurity, it’s not even safe.
But the real benefits of a digital economic system could be the ones that benefit our democratic system.
Physical cash is dirty money in more ways than one indeed – corruption is a lot easier in any system that relies upon it.
Minimising the use of cash in public life could be an important step towards restoring Nigerian’s trust in the democratic process.
Transparency and accountability are practically impossible with anonymous and untraceable cash payments. And this has huge implications when it comes to making sure public money goes where it is supposed to go.
As an example of how this can work, look at India. When the Indian government began to make pension payments digitally instead of using cash, incidences of bribery halved. I can’t be the only Nigerian to long for that happening here.
This is another area where Nigeria is making huge progress. COVID-19 saw impressive efforts from government to make palliative payments electronically – and saw the government take impressive and important steps to enhance the transparency and governance of COVID-related spending, including the publication of procurement plans and notices for all emergency response activities including the names of companies awarded contracts and the owners of those companies.
Now we need our politicians to pursue transparency too.
At the digital democracy campaign I lead, we are determined to improve accountability and transparency in Nigerian politics by using technology.
We have created a free app called Rate Your Leader, which allows voters to contact directly with their local elected representatives. The Rate Your Leader app helps politicians engage directly with the people who elected them, building relationships based on mutual trust and respect.
Rate Your Leader also helps local leaders explain and justify every decision they make and every penny they spend – making them truly accountable to the people they serve.
And if their voters don’t like the answers they get, they can rate their politicians appropriately for everyone to see.
In 2021, we live our lives digitally. We shop, socialise, learn, work and even date there. So why does out economic system still expect us to make transactions the same way as our ancient ancestors?
At our campaign, our message is clear: Our politics and our political institutions need to take advantage of the opportunities of the digital age to become more accessible, transparent and responsive – and to make themselves relevant to the people they serve.
Too much of our public payment, welfare and public transport infrastructure remains entirely cash-based. This has to change. But the creation of the eNaira is a great step towards a cashless Nigeria – and an international achievement we can all be proud of.
This would require significant government commitment and investment. But the government could start tomorrow by aiming to making all government payments – such as Conditional Cash Transfer – digital by default.
Our country is becoming digital. Our currency cannot remain analogue.
Joel Popoola is a Nigerian technology entrepreneur, digital democracy campaigner and is the creator of the Rate Your Leader app. He can be reached via @JOPopoola
A Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Prof Mike Ozekhome, has insisted that former President Muhammadu Buhari should be blamed for his successor, Bola Tinubu’s preference to appoint persons from his ethnic Yoruba language group to key government positions.
Ozekhome, while delivering an address at a symposium on human rights organised by the International Human Rights Commission (IHRC) held in Abuja on Wednesday, claimed that the Buhari-led administration polarised Nigeria along ethnic and religious lines.
The rights activist noted that it is not surprising that President Tinubu was following a similar trajectory since it was tolerated by gullible Nigerians when Buhari was at the helm.
“When I hear today the northerners complain that Tinubu has ‘Yorubanised’ Nigeria, with so many Yorubas in the highest places in Nigeria, they are indeed making a point. But the question I would ask is: where were you when Buhari, for eight years, literally ‘northernised’ every position in Nigeria? You were either a northerner or a Muslim,” he said.
“I cried, I cried, I wrote and wrote. I wrote tons of articles. One of the 50 books which I presented on my 67th birthday was titled: ‘How Buhari Mismanaged Nigeria.’ Some people called it ‘na we,’ this is our man, and even if he is riding roughshod over all of us, it doesn’t matter.
“Hear no evil, see no evil because he is our man. Even if it is not benefitting us, the fact that he is our man is sufficient. Once it is no longer our man, we must also take up arms. No country grows like that.”
At the event under the theme; “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All,” he warned those in positions of authority against compromising the unity of Nigerians in pursuit of tribalism, ethnicity, and sectionalism.
He described the 1999 constitution (as amended) as flawed, adding that there is a need for a new constitution with inputs from Nigerians, irrespective of their ethnic and religious differences, on the way forward for the country.
“We need to redefine ourselves, not the present system where thieves are rewarded with doctorate degrees,” he said.
The Commission’s Ambassador-at-Large and Head of Diplomatic Mission in Nigeria, Ambassador Dr. Duru Hezekiah, emphasized that this year’s theme presents a significant opportunity, drawing attention to the complexity of human rights linked to the multicultural and multi-ethnic composition of over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages spoken in Nigeria.
He remarked that recurring ethnic and religious conflicts have threatened Nigeria’s national unity and stability, noting that the diversity of Nigeria’s population offers both challenges and opportunities for cultural exchange and understanding, which can promote national unity and cooperation.
According to him, the one-day symposium, held on Wednesday, 11th December 2024, consequently offers a singular opportunity to acquire knowledge and reinforce ties with other stakeholders to promote “Unity in Diversity: Embracing Freedom, Equality, and Dignity for All.”
Additionally, he mentioned that the occasion signifies the official swearing-in of IHRC’s new officials: Ambassador Dr. Malami Shehu Ma’Aji (MFR), who was appointed IHRC Special Advisor on Intergovernmental Affairs for the Africa Region, with Chief John Paul Ochemba serving as IHRC Advisor on Special Monitoring Mission Nigeria, and Dr. Kingsley Nwokoma as IHRC Commissioner in Nigeria, all of whose appointments were duly approved by the IHRC Secretary-General, Prof. h.c. Rafał Marcin Wasik.
The High Court of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja, has issued a restraining order against human rights activist and lawyer Dele Farotimi, prohibiting him from further publishing, selling, distributing, or advertising his controversial book, Nigeria and Its Criminal Justice System.
The ruling was delivered by Justice Peter Kekemeke following an ex-parte application brought by Kehinde Ogunwumiju, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, and managing partner at Afe Babalola’s law firm.
The court’s order extends to Farotimi’s agents, publishers, distributors, sellers, or anyone else involved in the dissemination of the book, whether in hard copy, digital formats, or through electronic or social media channels.
The injunction will remain in effect pending the determination of a motion on notice for an interlocutory injunction, filed on December 6, 2024.
Justice Kekemeke also directed the Nigerian Police Force, Department of State Services, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, and other security agencies to seize all physical copies of the book wherever found.
These agencies are required to submit an affidavit of compliance within 72 hours of receiving the order.
In a related case, the Oyo State High Court granted a similar interim injunction against Farotimi, barring him or any associates from further printing or distributing the book.
Justice Mufutau Adegbola issued the order after hearing an ex-parte application filed on December 9, 2024, by Adebayo Adenipekun, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria from Afe Babalola’s firm.
The Oyo court directed Farotimi’s lawyers to be notified of the motion, which has been adjourned for hearing on January 7, 2025.
An Allied Air Cargo aircraft with registration number 5N-JRT, on Wednesday, skidded off Runway 22 of the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja, prompting a temporary shutdown of the airport.
The Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) confirmed the incident, which occurred at 10:05am, adding that five people were on board the aircraft. All passengers were safely evacuated without injury.
FAAN’s Director of Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Mrs. Obiageli Orah, said: “The Airport Emergency Response Team is on the scene along with accident investigators.
“The runway is being cleared and is expected to reopen for operations as soon as possible. We would like to thank the aviation community and the general public for their understanding and patience. We also request that all speculation be put on hold until the preliminary report is released by the Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB).”
The evacuees were taken to the FAAN clinic for medical checks as a precautionary measure. The incident has drawn the attention of aviation stakeholders, while efforts are underway to restore normal airport operations.
