PanamaTimes

Tuesday, Mar 19, 2024

Nigeria Has Plans To Launch CBDC in 2021 – Central Bank to 'Allow' Bitcoin

Nigeria Has Plans To Launch CBDC in 2021 – Central Bank to 'Allow' Bitcoin

According to Reuters, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) plans to launch a central bank digital currency (CBDC) pilot as soon as the end of this year.

Last month, the Central Bank’s Governor, Godwin Emefiele, made a 180-turn on Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, and said that he will “allow” them. Previously, the CBN had sought to restrict the cryptocurrency sector by imposing regulatory sanctions on monetary businesses that serviced cryptocurrency exchanges.

In a turn of events, it now seems that after all Nigerian officials are embracing blockchain technology. All the same, in what could become a showdown between private and public cryptocurrencies in the future, arguments against central bank offerings remain as pertinent as ever.

The Nigerian Central Bank Digital Currency Plan

Despite Nigeria’s purported aversion to fintech, it’s emerged that the central bank has been working on a digital currency for the past two years.

The CBN Director of Information Technology, Rakiya Mohammed, echoed what many other countries have mentioned in the past. That is, Nigeria will not be left behind in the technological revolution.

“We’re all aware that about 80% of central banks in the world exploring the possibility of issuing central bank digital currency, and Nigeria cannot be left behind.”

One of the reasons given for the CBN’s previous anti-Bitcoin position was a need to protect its citizens. In 2018, the CBN said that there is no legal redress if things go wrong in an unregulated market. There was also the usual spiel of links to illicit activity such as money laundering and terrorist financing.

Mohammed sells the idea of a central bank digital currency on it bringing financial inclusion and having the backing of the Nigerian government.

“If you have a central bank digital currency that is backed by the government, then people can make transactions online without fear of any default.”

What About Privacy?

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio made earlier remarks that governments will do all they can to maintain monopoly control of their money, even if that means outlawing the competition.

“every country treasures its monopoly on controlling the supply and demand. They don’t want other monies to be operating or competing, because things can get out of control.”

Anthony Pompliano didn’t agree with Dalio’s analysis saying that governments can’t ban Bitcoin. But he concedes that a scenario of coordinated global action could make life difficult for Bitcoin users.

And as cryptocurrencies continue to make their mark in the world of finance, regulators and policymakers may soon be forced to show their hand on the matter.

Unlike private cryptocurrencies, which operate on decentralized networks, central bank digital currencies would be issued and controlled by a central bank. This enables them, and by extension national governments, to track every transaction in their economies.

Liberal commentators view this situation as a significant blow to privacy. What’s more, as noted with several U.K banks refusing crypto transactions recently, central digital currencies have the potential to bring about a dystopian future in which transactions deemed “against the state” also get refused.

Source: Nigeria Has Plans To Launch CBDC in 2021 – Central Bank to 'Allow' Bitcoin – Fintechs.fi

Newsletter

Related Articles

PanamaTimes
0:00
0:00
Close
Apple warns against drying iPhones with rice
In a recent High Court hearing, the U.S. argued that Julian Assange endangered lives by releasing classified information.
Global Law Enforcement Dismantles Lockbit Ransomware Operation
Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny has died at the Arctic prison colony
The President of Argentina Javier Mile does not fly private, he flies commercial, with the citizens he represents. And they LOVE him for it.
Bitcoin Reaches $50,000 for First Time in Over Two Years
Belo Horizonte: Brazil's Rising Carnival Hotspot for 2024
In El Salvador, the 'Trump of Latin America' stuns the world with a speech slamming woke policing after winning a landslide election
Tucker’s interview with Putin is over 50M views on X within the first 5 hours.
Finnish Airline, Finnair, is voluntarily weighing passengers to better estimate flight cargo weight
President Nayib Bukele has proudly announced El Salvador's remarkable achievement of becoming the safest nation in the Western Hemisphere.
Former Chilean President Sebastian Piñera Dies in Helicopter Crash
This farmer seems to understand science a bit more than the event organizer, Klaus Schwab.
Facebook turns 20: From Mark Zuckerberg's dormitory to a $1trn company
The Coolest Dictator in the World" on the Path to Victory in El Salvador
Macron, France and fake news
Indian-Origin Man 'King' Arrested For Smuggling $16 Million Drugs Into US
Can someone teach Americans that not every person with slanted eyes is Chinese?
Europe's Farmers Feeding the People, Protesting Against Politicians Who Do Nothing for Their Country and Serve Only Themselves at Taxpayers' Expense
Paris Restaurant That Inspired 'Ratatouille' Loses $1.6 Million Worth Of Wine
Brazilian Police Investigate Bolsonaro's Son for Alleged Illegal Spying
Police in Brazil Raid Residence of Bolsonaro Associate Over Allegations of Illegal Spying
Border Dispute Escalates as Texas Governor Vows Increased Razor Wire
OpenAI Enhances ChatGPT-4 Model, Potentially Addressing AI "Laziness" Issue
The NSA finally acknowledges spying on Americans by acquiring sensitive data
Report Reveals Toxic Telegram Group Generating X-Rated AI-Generated Fake Images of Taylor Swift
US Border Patrol States 'No Plans' to Remove Razor Wire Installed in Texas
Bitcoin Experiences Approximately 20% Decline in Value
Klaus Schwab recently appointed himself as the Earth's "trustee of the future."
DeSantis Drops Out, Endorses Trump.
Nikki Haley said former President Trump is "just not at the same level" of mental fitness as he was while president in 2016.
Residents of a southern Mexican town set the government palace on fire in response to the police killing of a young man
Samsung Launches AI-Driven Galaxy S24, Ushering in New Smartphone Era
Judge Questions SEC's Regulatory Overreach in Coinbase Lawsuit
The Ecuador prosecutor who was investigating the television studio attack, has been assassinated.
Is artificial intelligence the solution to cyber security threats?
Vivek Ramaswamy suspends his US election campaign and endorses Trump.
Viral Satire: A Staged Satirical Clip Mistaken as Real Footage from the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos
The AI Revolution in the Workforce: CEOs at Davos Predict Major Job Cuts in 2024
Ecuador Reports 178 Hostages in Prison Gang Standoff
The Startling Cuban Espionage Case That Has Rattled the US Government
Two Armed Men in Ecuador, Dressed as Batman and The Joker Storm the Streets.
Armed Gang Raids Ecuadorian TV Station Following State of Emergency Declaration
Anti-Democratic Canada: Journalist Arrested for Questioning Canadian Finance Minister on Support of Terrorist Group
Ecuador's 'Most-Wanted' Criminal Vanishes from Prison
Mexican Cartel Supplied Wi-Fi to Locals Under Threat of Fatal Consequences for Non-Compliance
Border Surge Leads to Over 11,000 Migrants Waiting in Northern Mexico
Outsider Candidates Triumph in Latin American Elections
As Argentina Goes to the Polls, Will the Proposal to Replace the Peso with the Dollar Secure Votes?
Fatal Shark Attack Claims Life of Boston Woman Paddleboarding Near Bahamas Resort, According to Police
×