Buhari to address the nation on naira crisis, protests 7am Thursday

President Muhammadu Buhari will make a national broadcast at 7am on Thursday. Special Adviser to the President on Media & Publicity, Femi Adesina,

announced this in a statement late Wednesday.

“Television, radio stations and other electronic media outlets are enjoined to hook up to the network services of the Nigerian Television Authority and Radio Nigeria for the broadcast,” Adesina said in a statement.

The development comes amid nationwide outrage over the naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Nigerians have been battling with the scarcity of new naira notes— a development that has led to queues at banking halls, and automated teller machine (ATM) points.

There have been protests in some parts of the country due to the scarcity of new naira notes.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had given a deadline of January 31 for the use of old naira notes — but it extended it to February 10.

On February 8, the supreme court temporarily restrained the federal government from banning the use of the old naira notes from February 10, 2023, pending the hearing of the matter on February 15.

Despite the court’s order, Emefiele insisted on the deadline.

The stance of the CBN governor has triggered confusion as filling stations, supermarkets, and other business owners have continued to reject the old naira notes.

There were protests across the country on Wednesday as banks were destroyed while security operatives reportedly gunned down some persons in Edo State.

The crisis was recorded in Oyo, Ondo, Kwara, Edo, Benue and Delta states.

The President would likely address the issue of the naira scarcity in his speech to Nigerians as against statements issued by his media team.