POS Operators Rejecting Old Naira Notes In Enugu

As Nigerians count down to the formal eclipse of old naira notes on 31 January, 2023, some POS operators in Enugu have started rejecting old currencies.

A survey conducted by THE WHISTLER in the metropolis showed that a majority of depositors face frustration.

A teacher, Eucharia Eya, said, “I tried to deposit N100,000 through two operators. They said they don’t have chance to go to bank to deposit the money.

“I was told to go to bank. And in the bank, there are long queues. This is very hard. The money I wanted to deposit is my salary. I wonder why our proprietor chose to pay us cash, and with old notes. It has never happened before.”

She said when it became difficult for her to deposit the money, she bought foodstuffs with it.

Another resident, Okeke Obetta, said, “The kind of work I do does not give me time. So normally I deposit in my account through POS. But today, the lady refused. She only accepted old notes when I offered her N5, 000 extra.”

Ogechi, a POS operator at Agbani Road, by One-day bus stop, told our correspondent that, “I work for somebody and he instructed me not to collect old notes from customers. If at all I collect old notes, the depositor must pay extra. I will then pay a colleague to go and deposit it for me in the bank.”

Meanwhile, POS operators say they are recording low patronage as the new naira notes surge the market.

Martin Eze, who operates at Golf Estate in Enugu, said, “Our customers withdraw very little sums, especially when we give them old notes. Many of them prefer going to ATMs to withdraw new notes. The job is becoming something else.”

A visit across most of the banks along Okpara Avenue, Enugu, shows that most automated teller machines dispense the new naira notes. However, customers withdrawing from bank cashiers are still being issued both old and new bank notes.