The Federal Government may soon introduce a major shift in how public funds are distributed, with workers’ salaries, pensions, and social welfare payments potentially moving to the eNaira platform.
TheNewsGuru understands that the proposal forms part of a broader strategy by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to revive and expand the use of the country’s digital currency.
According to a report by Punch, the plan is contained in the newly unveiled Nigeria Payments System Vision 2028 — the apex bank’s roadmap for deepening digital payments and making the eNaira a more active part of everyday financial transactions.
From Experiment to Everyday Payments
Launched in October 2021, the eNaira was introduced as Africa’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC), with expectations that it would transform how Nigerians send, receive, and manage money.
The initiative was designed to improve financial inclusion, reduce transaction costs, support the cashless policy, and simplify payments across the economy.
However, despite its ambitious rollout and early publicity, adoption has remained relatively slow among Nigerians.
Now, the CBN appears ready to reposition the platform from an experimental digital project into a more widely used payment infrastructure.
Salaries, Pensions and Welfare Payments Could Move to eNaira
Under the proposed framework, government disbursements have been identified as one of the major areas for expansion.
According to the roadmap, the CBN plans to support the use of the eNaira for:
- Public-sector salary payments
- Pension disbursements
- Social welfare and conditional cash transfers
- Government-to-citizen payments
- Support programmes for small businesses
- Offline digital transactions
If implemented, millions of Nigerians who receive payments from government institutions could eventually access funds directly through the eNaira ecosystem.
CBN Plans to Review Digital Currency Framework
The apex bank said it intends to review the current structure guiding the eNaira to ensure it aligns with changing market realities and operational needs.
The goal, according to the roadmap, is to make the digital currency more practical and attractive for both public and private-sector use.
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The proposal also signals a wider ambition to integrate digital payment systems more deeply into Nigeria’s financial architecture.
eNaira Could Introduce “Programmable Money”
One of the more notable features highlighted by the CBN is the ability to create programmable payments through the eNaira.
According to the roadmap, the digital currency can support features that allow money to be used under specific conditions.
These capabilities may include:
- Setting expiration dates on funds
- Restricting spending to approved purposes
- Automatic splitting of payments
- Creating separate digital wallets for different categories of spending
Supporters argue such tools could improve transparency and accountability in government disbursements, while critics may raise questions about flexibility, adoption, and public acceptance.
For now, the proposal remains part of the CBN’s long-term digital payments vision and has not yet been rolled out nationwide.