BENJAMIN OMOIKE
Jordan 105.5 FM and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), have partnered to sensitise Lagos residents and market leaders on the importance of the e-Naira, which the CBN has recently introduced.
This is to ensure that the people move along with their global counterparts in technology payment system.
The meeting involved various stakeholders in the state’s economy and grey areas and other concerns with regards to the new system were seriously reviewed.
The Stakeholders’ Consultative Forum, themed: “E-Naira Adoption and Digital Economy for Market Merchants and SMEs,” was organised by Jordan 105.5 FM, in collaboration with the Lagos Island East Local Council Development Area (LCDA), and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in Lagos on Wednesday.
Lanre Johnson, Chief Executive Officer, Jordan 105.5 FM, stated at the event: “There is an urgent need to sensitise our people in Lagos Island East LCDA on the need for them to adopt e-Naira in the digital economy because we believe that this is what will make our people move to the next level.”
Johnson noted that there is the urgent need for every trader to adopt e-Naira and technology, adding: “If you are a merchant and you are not in the digital space, you will be missing a lot. There’s a need for them to imbibe the e-Naira, it’s so important considering the new CBN policy that is coming in.”
The Jordan 105.5 FM CEO said that considering “the opportunities and the innovation, we have to promote and ensure that our people’s lives are made better and their businesses move seamlessly.
“That’s why we are dealing with the LCDA and the CBN.”
Speaking on the collaboration with other stakeholders, Johnson said: “Jordan 105.5 FM is doing so much regarding the local government revolution project, which is one that we intend to take to all local government areas in Nigeria.
“It deals with how we can activate collaboration and partnership with the public, including the government, private sector and everyone so that we can actually drive inclusion for the prosperity for all.”
Expressing his firm’s belief in Local Government revolution, Johnson noted: “If there’s local government revolution, every aspect of our lives, including security, the economy, which we believe is local, will be better. If we collaborate with the local government areas in Nigeria and activate collaboration with every stakeholder, life will be better for all of us and everything will work seamlessly.”
Throwing his weight behind Local Government revolution and the e-Naira as part of moves to make people embrace technology, Johnson noted that the “E-naira payment gateway is an answer and we must buy into it. We have viewed the new initiative of the CBN.”
Urging all stakeholders not to be afraid of the CBN’s initiative, he said: “It’s going to help our people. Once we buy into this technology and payment gateway, things will ease for our merchants and our small businesses. Everything will go and we can move on together and drive enduring prosperity for all of us.”
The Jordan FM boss, who said that his firm is promoting innovation, entrepreneurship, among others, added: “We must continue to do it until we see a better Nigeria and until we have devolution of power, which is the fundamental issue of our politics in Nigeria.”
Chijioke Orah of the Information Technology Department (ITD), who represented the CBN, said the event was a result of the need to push for the cashless policy, as well as to see how knowledgeable people are with the e-Naira.
Orah said: “It is very easy and reliable. E-Naira gives the user an avenue to create a better alternative without paying bank charges, enabling them to do seamless transfer within Nigeria and other countries.”
He said that with e-naira, the user does not pay any bank charges and gets a five percent discount, adding that “A promo in that regard is ongoing.”
Adekunle Bashorun, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Executive Chairman of Lagos Island East LCDA, said the significance of the event is to “sensitise our people and hold a stakeholders’ forum with marketers, artisans, mechanics, traders and other stakeholders to intimate and inform them about the advantages of e-Naira platform.”
He said that with the cashless policy of the CBN that is coming on board very soon, “We need to key into the e-Naira because it will enable seamless transactions within the market and with their customers also.”
On the people’s response to the sensitisation programme, Bashorun said: “Based on the questions and answers, it shows that the residents, majorly the marketers, are very enthusiastic about it as they want to key in directly into the programme. I believe that we have had a successful programme.”
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