Despite the apology and defending the decision, Emefiele insisted that the policy will progress as announced and gave reasons why it will continue.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has apologised to bank customers for the inconveniences the reintroduced cashless policy will cause.

CBN governor Godwin Emefiele rendered the apology at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting in Abuja when he was asked of his reaction to the pushback from Nigerians over the return of charges on deposits and withdrawals beyond certain threshold.

At the end of the meeting, the MPC retained interest rates at 13.5% as well as other parameters.

According to him: “I truly sympathise with the banking public and regret the inconvenience that this is causing bank customers.”

Despite the apology and defending the decision, he insisted that the policy will progress as announced and gave reasons why it will continue by noting that “we expect that after five years: 2014-2019, all the cash that would have been kept in people’s houses, should have been brought back into the banking industry.

“That’s why we are saying at this time that we need to return back to that. What you are seeing today is not new.”

Emefiele gave the strategic reason why the decision to reintroduce the charges was taken.

According to him: “This is a strategic timing of these actions because on Monday, September 23rd, the mutual evaluation by Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) on the country’s anti-money laundry and CFT regime will begin.

“Passing the mutual evaluation, positions Nigerian as a safe and credible destination for financial transaction across the world.”

He added that “GIABA will be in Nigeria to assess the rate at which Nigeria has embraced anti-money laundry and CFT regime.

“It is important that we display and show to them that Nigeria is indeed in conformity with their practices as enshrined in their anti-money laundry and CFA laws.

“If we do not do what we are doing today, if they pass us negative, even your so-called cards that you carry abroad, you will not be able to use them.

“It is in our own best interest that we are seen to be working in line with best global practices so that we can have a comfortable and convenient life in future.”

Since the policy was first launched in 2012, Emefiele stated that “currency management cost have continued to increase year-on-year at an average annual growth rate of 33%. Notwithstanding, electronic transactions have increased within the economy. We have provided alternative channels and people have embraced it.”