There have been protests and chaos across the country over the Naira notes scarcity as many commercial banks no longer release money to their customers.
The people of Anegbette Community in the Etsako Central Local Government Area of Edo State have resorted to trade by barter as the naira scarcity continues to force Nigerians into frustration and poverty.
According to a video seen by SaharaReporters, the community, frustrated and impoverished by the Naira scarcity orchestrated by the Naira redesign and cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), reached an agreement earlier this week to survive through trade by barter where those who need plantain bring fish or yams in exchange for plantain.
A member of the community who did not reveal his identity in the video footage said, “This is trade by barter taking place right now in my hometown, Anegbette in Etsako Central, Edo State.
“I posted it yesterday that we should start trade by barter. It has just started here right now. You bring your fish, you collect yam. You bring your plantain, you collect yam or you collect fish.”
There have been protests and chaos across the country over the Naira notes scarcity as many commercial banks no longer release money to their customers as they claim they neither have cash to dispense at their Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) nor to release at the counter.
SaharaReporters reported last week that at least three people died in Benin, the Edo State capital after a protest at the entrance of the state branch of the CBN over the Naira scarcity turned violent.
Residents of the state who are still in possession of old naira notes had stormed the CBN office to collect the form that would enable them to deposit their money as directed by the apex bank.
Meanwhile, officials of CBN have been going into the remote communities in three local government areas of Kano state to distribute new Naira notes to the residents of the communities.
Some Nigerians and analysts have said that the persisting Naira scarcity could either lead to the postponement of the 2023 general elections starting on Saturday or cause an unimaginable voters’ apathy as many electorates might not be able to travel to their polling units to cast their votes for their preferred candidates.