Five days ago, a Twitter user, @Fluffy_Naz created awareness of the low quality of the redesigned N200, N500 and N1000 banknotes.
She claimed that her sister forgot the new N500 banknote in her pocket and washed the cloth only for the colours to fade.
Raising the alarm, she said, “If rain drenches you and this money is your only hope, you’d be stranded.”
So my sis forgot the new currency in her pocket and washed it, this is what it turned out to! If rain drenches you and this money is your only hope, you'd be stranded! pic.twitter.com/zebTFqDtKs
— CHINAZO (@Fluffy_Naz) December 28, 2022
Her tweet not only went viral but sparked a challenge to ascertain the quality of the new notes among Nigerians.
Dr Joe Abah, Country Director at DAI Maastricht University, was the first to pick up the challenge. He experimented with the new N500 banknote and said the result showed that it does not lose its colour when washed as claimed.
He said, “I rubbed the new N500 note with water and tissue. No, the colour didn’t come off. Maybe the problem is with the new N1,000 note, which I haven’t seen. The new N500 note seems fine to me. I’ll try it in a washing machine and report back.”
I rubbed the new N500 note with water and tissue. No, the colour didn’t come off. Maybe the problem is with the new N1,000 note, which I haven’t seen. The new N500 note seems fine to me. I’ll try it in a washing machine and report back. pic.twitter.com/rb1mI5Xfw3
— Dr Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) December 31, 2022
Another Twitter user, @_bellefille also shared a video to counter the claim, which she captioned: “For people saying the new notes ink dey wash, blah blah blah.”
For people saying the new notes ink dey wash, blah blah blah. pic.twitter.com/7RKc93iF7q
— . (@__bellefille) December 31, 2022
However, @iamDr_WrighT confirmed that the colours of the notes do fade as he shared a video of his experiment with the new N200 banknote.
He said, “I didn’t believe it either until I tried it recently and the colour of the new N200 note stained the dry tissue I was using to rub against it. Maybe there’s more to this new currency than meets the eye.”
I didn't believe it either until I tried it recently and the color of the new N200 note stained the dry tissue I was using to rub against it.
Maybe there's more to this new currency than meets the eye… pic.twitter.com/kiZ9J4e3Df— Daniel (דָּנִיֵּאל) (@iamDr_WrighT) December 31, 2022
