Naira Redesign: Court Sets June Deadline to Conclude Emefiele’s Trial
A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, has fixed June 2026 as the deadline to conclude the trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over charges linked to the naira redesign policy.
The charges were filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The trial judge, Justice Maryann Anenih, fixed 10 additional hearing dates following an agreement between counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Oyedepo (SAN), and Emefiele’s lawyer, Olalekan Ojo (SAN).
The scheduled hearing dates are February 3 and 10; April 1 and 2; May 11, 12, 13, and 14; and June 9 and 10. The court said the trial, which began in 2024, would be concluded within this period.
Justice Anenih urged lawyers on both sides to strictly comply with the timetable, assuring them that the court would make adequate arrangements to ensure the trial proceeds without delays.
At the resumed hearing on Wednesday, an EFCC witness, Emere Chinedu, an operative of the commission, testified that the Presidency under former President Muhammadu Buhari approved the redesign of the naira notes.
Chinedu, who led the inter-agency investigation panel probing Emefiele’s actions, told the court that the approval was conveyed to the EFCC in writing after the commission made enquiries.
He, however, noted that the approval was subject to a condition — that the redesigned naira notes must be printed locally. This, he said, contradicts allegations that the currency was printed abroad during Emefiele’s tenure as CBN governor.
