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Naira Redesign: Civil Societies Spitfire Against Supreme Court Ruling
The theatricals following the Naira redesign policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has gone into another scene, with the civil societies set to take their turn.
Biztellers had reported that the Supreme Court’s ruling, adjourning the redesign processes pending the determination of a motion by Kaduna, Kogi and Zamfara States was entered on Wednesday.
A seven-member panel of Supreme Court Judges, led by Justice John Okoro, handed down the ruling in Abuja.
In a swift reaction, the apex organisation of all civil society groups in Nigeria, though the Civil Society Central Coordinating Council (CSCCC), on Wednesday protested against the exparte order of the Supreme Court, restraining the CBN, President Muhammadu Buhari, et al, from terminating the legal tender status of the old N200, N500 and N1000 bank notes on Friday February 10, 2023.
The CSOs urged President Buhari to immediately counter the Supreme Court ruling with an Executive Orders to back the planned drawing of the cotton legal tender status of the redesigned naira notes as planned.
The CSOs base their demand on the fact that it is not known to law that the judiciary should bar the President from performing his duties.
National Coordinator, CSCCC, Obed Okwukwe, told a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday that their reaction was to safeguard the sanctity of the general elections planned from later this February.
Backed by over 3000 followers, the CSOs took the protest to the CBNs headquarters, and submitted a letter for Governor, CBN, Godwin Emefiele.
Okwukwe called on the Supreme Court not to yield its platform for such election riggers to have access to illicit cash to compromise the election.
The CSCCC further urged the Supreme Court to immediately vacate the order because it had the potential of aiding corrupt politicians to buy votes during the forthcoming polls.
According to Okwukwe it was “capable of derailing the credibility of the 2023 general election and ultimately truncate our most cherished democracy.”
He added that the Supreme Court must redeem its image immediately and show Nigerians that it is not deliberately against free, fair and credible elections bearing in mind some very controversial orders and judgments of the court in the recent past.
In his words, “Civil society groups in Nigeria are ready to fully support both policies and it is on that strength that I have been empowered to inform Nigerians that the Nigerian Civil Society Community has passed a vote of confidence on the Naira Redesign Policy and the Cash withdrawal limit policy.
“This vote of confidence is also on the condition that the February 10 deadline is not shifted. It is based on the foregoing that we alert the security agencies that the protests planned to be held tomorrow, Thursday February 9, 2023 guised as protests against scarcity of the new Naira are indeed protests planned and organised to cause violence, destruction of public property, disruption of public order and arson.
“Quell the protests in the South West as it is part of the synchronised plot. The target is to reverse the policy where that fails force a shift in the election date or lead to uprising that will cause the administration to come to an abrupt end.
“Opponents of the currency redesign and cash withdrawal limit policies deadline are pushing for a shift of the February 23 general election.
“We have credible intelligence that those behind the campaign for shift in the deadline of the new currency redesign and cash withdrawal limit are now pushing that the 2023 general election be shifted.
“This evil idea will throw Nigeria into a constitutional crisis and lead to the collapse of constitutional democracy. Now these anarchists realising they cannot win the general election are now looking for ways to destroy democracy and undermine President Buhari.
“These men who have benefited from President Buhari now want to destabilise and hurt our dear President and our democracy in their selfish bid of running errands for their new godfather in town.
“They have forgotten that without President Buhari some of them would not have legally or illegally made it to office they now occupy. Now, President Buhari looks small in their eyes and even without Buhari tenure expiring, these ungrateful power elements and betrayal characters are instigating people to destroy President Buhari and our hard-won democracy for the sake of their new master.
“What offence has President Buhari committed by saying he wants a credible election? Were these people not beneficiaries of credible elections in 2015?
“So why crucify our President who is committed to giving Nigeria an enabling environment for free and fair election?”
He maintained that the citizenry would not accept any shift in the 2023 general election date, neither would they subscribe to a shift in the deadline for the currency redesign policy.
He challenged those hoarding cash to “put their billions back to the bank or even let them open the cash warehouses containing those billions in Lagos, Kano, Imo, Zamfara, Kogi and share those billions to poor masses since they are now new lovers of the poor.”
He urged President Buhari and Emefiele to stand up to those resisting the deadline stating that “February 10 deadline date is sacrosanct, irreversible and irrevocable.”
Oil marketers have warned that Nigerians may soon pay as much as ₦1,500 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as petrol, as global oil prices surge following the escalating conflict involving Iran in the Middle East.
The National President of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), Dr. Billy Gillis-Harry, issued the warning on Tuesday while speaking on a television programme on the impact of the global crisis on fuel prices.
According to him, the current volatility in the international oil market has already pushed petrol prices above ₦1,000 per litre at the depot level, with the ex-depot price from the Dangote Petroleum Refinery now standing at about ₦1,175 per litre.
He explained that once logistics, transportation, and other operational costs are added, the final pump price could rise significantly, possibly reaching ₦1,500 per litre in the near future.
Despite concerns about the rising cost of fuel, Gillis-Harry noted that steady availability of petroleum products from the Dangote Refinery remains a major relief for Nigeria, stressing that consistent supply is better than a nationwide fuel scarcity.
He added that the refinery’s production capacity is helping to stabilize supply across the country at a time when global markets remain highly unstable.
The latest price adjustment by the Dangote Refinery marks the fourth review within two weeks. Petrol prices increased from ₦995 per litre to ₦1,175 per litre, while diesel rose from ₦1,430 to about ₦1,620 per litre.
The development comes amid a sharp spike in international crude oil prices triggered by fears of supply disruptions due to the ongoing Middle East conflict.
Brent crude recently climbed above $102 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose to around $101 per barrel.
Industry analysts say the rising oil prices are already having a ripple effect on Nigeria’s downstream petroleum sector, forcing depot operators and fuel marketers to adjust their prices in response to the global market trend.
Meanwhile, the management of Dangote Petroleum Refinery has stated that although Nigeria introduced a crude-for-naira arrangement to support local refineries, the facility still purchases crude oil at international market prices, leaving it exposed to global price fluctuations.
The United Nations has raised the alarm over a dramatic surge in attacks on schools worldwide, reporting a 166% increase between 2021 and 2024.
The rise highlights the escalating dangers faced by children in conflict zones.
United Nations Deputy High Commissioner for Human Rights, Nada Al-Nashif, revealed the figures during the annual meeting of the UN Human Rights Council on the rights of the child on Monday.
The session, themed “Mainstreaming the Rights of Children in Armed Conflict: Prevention and Protection,” focused on protecting children amid global conflicts.
Al-Nashif noted that the attacks were particularly concentrated in Sudan, Ukraine, the Gaza Strip, Myanmar, and Ethiopia, where children remain among the most vulnerable victims.
“In 2024, armed conflict directly affected nearly one in six children globally—about 470 million children,” she said. “Years of lost education, trauma, and lasting mental scars shape societies for generations. Long after the fighting subsides, children continue to face deadly risks.”
She highlighted Gaza as having the world’s highest number of child amputees per capita, warning that the impact of war goes far beyond immediate violence.
In Lebanon, government figures show that more than 450,000 people were displaced in less than a week, with at least 394 fatalities, including 83 children, during the 2024 conflict with Israel.
Al-Nashif also stressed the disproportionate risks for displaced children, who are more likely to die from disease linked to unsafe water and sanitation than from direct violence.
In the Democratic Republic of Congo, a 2025 cholera outbreak killed 340 children, underscoring the long-term consequences of conflict.
She called on states to uphold their international obligations to protect children, insisting that protecting children is “both a legal obligation and a humanitarian moral imperative.”
Also speaking at the council, Vanessa Frazier, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, warned that violence against children continued at extreme levels in 2025.
She urged mainstreaming child protection across peace, security, humanitarian, human rights, and development efforts, emphasizing that children should actively participate in shaping policies designed to safeguard them.
Frazier highlighted her office’s global campaign, “Prove It Matters,” aimed at amplifying children’s voices in conflict resolution and peacebuilding.
The UN report underscores the urgent need for coordinated international action to protect children and ensure their safety in conflict zones worldwide.
Portugal officially inaugurated its new president, Antonio Jose Seguro, on Monday, pledging to bring stability to a nation shaken by political uncertainty and natural disasters.
Seguro, the centre-left candidate, won last month’s presidential run-off against far-right rival Andre Ventura, following weeks of catastrophic storms that killed at least seven people and caused approximately €4 billion ($4.6 billion) in damage.
Speaking at his swearing-in ceremony in Lisbon’s parliament, Seguro emphasized cooperation with the minority right-wing government and vowed to end the country’s “electoral frenzy.”
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“I will do everything I can to put an end to this electoral frenzy,” he said, pointing to the inability of previous governments to complete their terms.
Amid global crises, including conflicts in the Middle East and a more isolationist US approach under President Donald Trump, Seguro stressed the importance of multilateralism.
“The force of law has been replaced by the power of the strongest,” he remarked.
Seguro succeeds Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, a conservative who leaves office at 77 after serving two five-year terms.
While the Portuguese presidency is largely ceremonial, Seguro’s leadership signals a commitment to political stability and international engagement.
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