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N20:The Most Mutilated Nigerian Currency Note

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In February 2007, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) released for public use new designs of the Nigerian currency. The redesigned denominations were the N5, the N10 naira, the N20, N50  and newly introduced N2 coins.
It was neither the new coin or the new design that was spectacular to Nigerians, and no one expects it to be, but the eye catching thing was the twenty naira note which did not come in the traditional paper note format but came in a polymer format.
This, according to the International Polymer Currency Association, made Nigeria the 24th country to issue Guardian® polymer notes and the 2nd country in Africa. The twenty naira note is also the first polymer note to be printed in Africa (it was printed by the Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Plc).
Aside the CBN’s main purpose of cost reduction in currency production, there seemed to be a consensus on the reason the twenty naira note came in polymer form. The belief is that the twenty naira note is the most used of the Nigerian currency notes causing it to be the most mutilated. Even in the CBN adverts of new currency notes, the N20 was used to depict the process by which currency notes are ruined by Nigerians. In polymer form therefore, it is expected to be able to withstand the pressure of commerce much longer as it is exchanged from hand to hand.
Now, two years after the new notes were released for public use, the twenty naira note, now polymer, seems to retain its position as the most abused and mutilated Nigerian currency note.
The twenty naira note, without relying on any empirical data, is the most held and exchanged currency note. Amongst a predominantly poor and low class society, this cannot be farther from realism.
The IPCA also records that the twenty naira is the highest volume bank note in circulation in Nigeria.
 The twenty naira by observation is also the most used by public transport operators in giving change (fare balance on excess) to their passengers. Market women and traders also appear to exchange more twenty naira notes in their daily transactions than any other currency denomination.
The money changers, who help split larger denominations into lower ones at a fee at bus stops and vehicle parks have more twenty naira notes in stock and in more demand from their customer base concentrated around commercial transport operators. 
The polymer has seriously exposed the twenty naira as about the most roughly handled.
Some straighten it with hot electric iron, others hold it together with ‘evostic’ gum while some one torn it in two. Some twenty naira notes are so faded it looked like it had been bleached. Worse still, some use it as toothpick, some use it as cotton bud to clean their ears while others use it as funnel to fuel their vehicles.
The polymer note may not have fulfilled its purpose to withstand the pressure of commerce for much longer, but it has obviously exposed the unwholesome way Nigerians handle her legal tender. All the currency notes are handled with such impunity by Nigerians. Many people have complained about the state of the Nigerian currency notes and in the usual Nigerian style put the blame on the Central Bank for the lack of enough public enlightenment on handling currency notes.
The CBN realizing the need for currency handling re-education followed the release of the new currency notes with series of media campaigns in an attempt to ensure that these new notes do not go the way of the phased out ones.
Now it is clear that the problem of currency mutilation is the fault of Nigerians who use the notes and handle them recklessly, especially among public transport operators, market men, women and other petty traders. The lack of education or just sheer negligence among this class can be blamed for the state of our currency notes. For this class of people mere media campaigns do little in trying to change their mentality. The solution to maintaining good currency notes lies with Nigerians themselves.
We must begin to reject mutilated notes to discourage those in the habit of handling notes carelessly, because some of these notes are actually abused on purpose. The market woman will be careful the way she handles her notes when she knows that customers will reject it if it is dirty. Banks must also start rejecting mutilated and dirty notes so that petrol stations where most of these notes would usually find ready acceptance would also join the trend in saying no to these notes.
 

 

 

 


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Indigenous Firm Deploys 400,000 Smart Electricity Meters in 2025

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MOJEC International Limited has revealed that it deployed over 400,000 smart meters nationwide in 2025, representing a significant year-on-year growth for the indigenous smart meter manufacturer.

This performance reflected a 33.3 percent increase over the 300,000 meters deployed in 2024, highlighting the scale and acceleration of MOJEC’s metering operations.

Chantelle Abdul, group managing director, attributed the sustained impact to deliberate investments in infrastructure, people, and technology.

“MOJEC operates two state-of-the-art meter production facilities with a combined installed capacity of up to five million meters annually. This scale enables us not just to meet current demand, but to support Nigeria’s long-term metering and energy efficiency goals,” she said.

She further noted that MOJEC’s expansive installer ecosystem, comprising over 5,000 trained professionals nationwide, remains a critical enabler of its delivery advantage, ensuring speed, quality, and compliance across diverse terrains and markets.

The company stated that the deployment surge reflected growing confidence by Distribution Companies (DisCos) and sector stakeholders in MOJEC’s technical capacity, delivery speed, and end-to-end metering solutions.

According to Monday Ubogu, MOJEC’s head of installation, the scale and consistency of delivery set the company apart.

“Within the first three quarters of the year, MOJEC completed about 300,000 installations, accounting for roughly 40 percent of total installations nationwide during that period.

“The momentum continued into the final quarter with an additional 150,000 meters deployed, highlighting our operational depth and nationwide reach,” he said.

Ubogu added that MOJEC’s performance builds on decades of sector engagement, spanning key national metering initiatives including CAPMI, MAF, Vendor Financing, MAP Phases I & II, and NMMP 0, with the company having deployed nearly four million meters since the privatisation of NESI.

According to the company, a substantial portion of the deployment was driven by MOJEC Meter Asset Management Company (M3AC), the Group’s asset management subsidiary, which accounted for about 350,000 installations.

 


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Globacom Donates ₦1Bn to Lagos State Security Trust Fund

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In its bid to contribute its quota to the consolidation of security in Nigeria’s commercial capital, Lagos, telecommunications giant, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) with a donation of ₦1 billion.

The generous donation was announced at a Private Sector Breakfast Meeting with CEOs, convened at the instance of the Executive Governor of Lagos State, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Friday, January 30, 2026 and shows the company’s commitment to fostering public safety which would in turn, culminate in enhanced prosperity and social re-engineering in the state.

The donation, which is the biggest private-sector intervention from the telecommunications sector to the Fund in recent years, again shows that Globacom is a responsible, responsive and people-oriented corporate citizen.

Globacom disclosed that the intervention emphasized deeper collaboration between government and the state’s business community especially in relation to security, innovation and economic resilience—an agenda which the digital solutions company has unabashedly supported through sustained social investments.

The Executive Secretary/CEO of the Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, in his display of appreciation described Globacom’s largesse as “a powerful demonstration of corporate citizenship and a strategic investment in the stability of Lagos State,” saying since LSSTF was established to bridge funding gaps in security infrastructure, it desired voluntary contributions from corporate bodies and well-meaning collaborators.

Dr. Ogunsan promised that the ₦1 billion donation will significantly enhance the Fund’s capacity to address critical priorities for 2026, including multipurpose security helicopters and drones, Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), water cannons, digital communication equipment and Smart CCTV systems. These assets, he added, were germane to proactive policing, rapid response and intelligence-led operations across the state.

He therefore encouraged Lagosians to support businesses that invest in the safety and development of the state, saying, “When companies step forward to secure our environment, residents should reciprocate by patronizing them. Their support directly impacts the protection of lives, property and economic activity.”

A statement from Globacom explained that the donation was an expression of the company’s staunch belief in Nigeria’s future. “At Globacom, we see security not as a government burden alone, but as a shared responsibility. When people feel safe, enterprise grows, creativity flourishes and hope becomes practical. Our support for the LSSTF is about protecting the everyday dreams of millions of Lagosians,” he noted.

With this donation to the LSSTF, Globacom has furthered its tradition of investing directly in the conditions like safety, confidence and stability which help commerce to thrive. Consequent on the support, LSSTF is gingered to raise the bar of security thereby concretizing Lagos State’s position as Nigeria’s safest and most vibrant commercial hub.

This recent financial intervention from Globacom is in tandem with its avowed commitment to social responsibility that is practical, timely, scalable and aligned with national priorities.

The company’s interventions in the past decades have spanned relief efforts for flood-affected communities, support for displaced persons, advanced youth skills through structured training programmes, and investments in education, culture and digital inclusion.


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WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

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World International Economic Group (WIEG) Nigeria has announced plans to host its inaugural International Investment Summit on Feb. 25 and 26 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel, Oniru, Victoria Island, Lagos.

WIEG to host Nigeria’s first International Investment Summit in Lagos

WIEG

The summit, themed “Nigeria’s Next Frontier: Unlocking Sustainable Investments for Economic Transformation,” is aimed at connecting investment-ready Nigerian enterprises with global capital while addressing long-standing challenges facing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs), cooperatives and women-led businesses.

Speaking at a pre-summit press conference on Friday at Compact Communications Ltd., GRA Ikeja, Lagos,  Mr. Bassey Essien, WIEG’s Project & Event Consultant  said the summit would serve as a structured platform linking policy, finance and enterprise growth.

Essien identified limited access to structured funding, poor investment readiness and weak documentation as major barriers confronting Nigerian businesses, despite the availability of domestic and international capital.

“Enterprises that succeed understand the importance of preparation. Some invest as much as N200 million in professional feasibility studies to meet the standards of banks and institutions such as the African Development Bank. That level of preparation enables access to collateral-free funding,” he said.

According to him, weak policy continuity, inadequate post-intervention monitoring and fragmented regulatory frameworks have continued to undermine business growth in the country.

“Policies often change with governments, and there is little tracking after interventions. More importantly, many businesses are not prepared in ways financiers require,” Essien noted.

He explained that the summit would convene policymakers, investors, development finance institutions and pre-screened MSMEs and SMEs operating in priority sectors, including the creative industry, agriculture, energy transition, finance and aviation.

Essien described the creative sector as a major contributor to Nigeria’s economy, accounting for about 2.5 per cent of the Gross Domestic Product, but said weak financing structures, piracy and poor intellectual property (IP) protection had limited its growth.

Highlighting the summit programme, he said Day One would feature conferences on macroeconomic issues, policy reforms and enterprise growth, while Day Two would focus on sector-specific deal-making roundtables.

“These deal rooms will be organised by sector — from aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) to renewable energy — with lawyers, financiers and policymakers present to fast-track transactions,” he said.

Essien added that the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC) would be present to ensure post-event monitoring and tracking of investment deals concluded during the summit.

He disclosed that the creative economy segment would be supported through partnerships with the Association of Movie Producers of Nigeria (AMP) and financial institutions to fund viable projects in Nollywood, music and fashion.

“Intellectual property regularisation is critical. Once ideas are properly documented and protected, investors gain confidence,” he said.

On energy and aviation, Essien said the summit would spotlight renewable energy solutions to reduce dependence on generators and promote the establishment of commercial MRO facilities to curb the high cost of aircraft maintenance abroad.

He also announced the participation of B Lab Africa, a U.S.-certified organisation focused on environmental, social and governance (ESG), diversity, equity and inclusivity standards, noting that the initiative would help small businesses improve governance and access global funding.

Essien revealed that investment commitments estimated at about 500 million dollars were expected to emerge from the summit.

“This is a private-sector-led, non-partisan initiative that places no financial burden on government. It is focused on job creation, empowering women-owned enterprises and improving investor confidence through transparent and secure processes,” he said.

He urged Nigerian entrepreneurs and SMEs to prioritise proper documentation, professional advisory services and IP protection to position themselves for sustainable growth.

“We are creating a structured pathway from policy to capital to enterprise growth,” Essien added.


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