Latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revealed that currency in circulation declined to N5 trillion in March 2025.
This is the third consecutive drop this year.
The report published by the apex bank showed that currency in circulation (CIC) fell by 0.79 per cent month-on-month from N5.04 trillion in February 2025 and N5.24 trillion recorded in January 2025, marking a cumulative decline of N240 billion or 4.58 per cent in the first quarter of 2025.
Currency in circulation refers to the total amount of cash — coins and paper currency — that has been issued by the CBN and is physically used for transactions by the public and businesses outside of the banking system.
A drop in CIC may indicate increased cash mop-up by banks, a shift to digital transactions, or broader macroeconomic tightening.
Meanwhile, banks’ reserves held with the CBN rose to N28.5 trillion in March 2025, up from N27.6 trillion in February and N27.43 trillion in January. This increase suggests improved liquidity within the banking sector and a potentially tighter monetary policy stance by the CBN.
The surge in bank reserves could be attributed to higher deposit inflows, restricted liquidity, or a deliberate policy by the CBN to rein in inflationary pressures.
It may also reflect increased compliance by deposit money banks with the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) requirement of the apex bank.
