CBN Rolls Out Centenary N100 Banknote

The commemorative N100 banknote unveiled recently by the president, Dr Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, will go into circulation across the country from today, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced yesterday. Accordingly, all branches of the bank have been directed to commence issuance of the currency in their respective locations. The commemorative note will circulate alongside the existing N100 note, the apex bank noted in a statement. The note, which is embedded with features to assist the visually impaired recognise genuine notes, also has other security features that will make it easily identifiable merely by looking at, feeling and tilting it. The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the unveiling of the new banknote, had explained that the new note was designed with enhanced security to offer robust resistance against counterfeiting. Authentication features of the note include window micro-optics, the national flag and an inscription of the numeral figure 100, indicating the value of the denomination and the attainment of the centenary period. The new design retains the portrait of Chief Obafemi Awolowo both in the ink, and as a shadow image. In addition, there is a spark feature of a rolling manila bar, which was the instrument of transaction during the slave trade era. At the back side of the currency is the introduced Quick Response Code (QRC), a digital communication feature that highlights and sources all the information about the centenary. With the QRC application, the barcode on the banknote can be scanned by users to read a brief history of Nigeria.