AnambraDecides2025: Did Soludo Remove Arabic Texts on Naira Notes as CBN Governor? Fact Emerges
- An X user, Faith Olamide, claimed Charles Soludo removed Arabic inscriptions on banknotes when he was the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) governor
- Olamide added that another CBN governor returned it after Soludo removed the Arabic [Ajami-derived] phrases on the lower domination of the bank notes
- In this article Legit.ng fact-checked Olamide's claim, the reason for the removal of Arabic inscriptions on naira notes and when it happened
Legit.ng journalist Adekunle Dada has over 8 years of experience covering metro, government policy, and international issues.
Awka, Anambra state - Governor Charles Soludo is in the news again as the Anambra state governorship holds on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
This time around, it is not about his re-election bid but the Arabic inscriptions on Nigerian currency, the naira notes.
Source: UGC
An X user, Faith Olamide @duke_of_mosho, claimed Soludo removed Arabic inscriptions on banknotes when he was the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Olamide added that another CBN governor came in and brought the Arabic inscriptions back on the naira notes.
"Soludo removed them on the lower notes when he was CBN Governor, another Governor came in and brought it back"
The Nigerian lady stated this while reacting to a tweet, which reads:
“Why does the Central Bank of Nigeria @cenbank have Arabic inscriptions on the naira notes?
Is Nigeria actually a secular state?
Verification
As reported by Dubawa, multiple media reports show that in February 2007, the federal government removed Arabic script from some lower-denomination notes.
The Nigerian government said that Arabic [Ajami-derived] phrases was no longer necessary because most Nigerians could now read and write in English.
The government also said it removed Ajami in order to conform to Nigeria’s 1999 constitution, citing a move to deepen national unity.
Also, a check on the CBN official website shows that Soludo was the governor of the nation’s apex bank at the time the shift was made.
Conclusion
It is true that Soludo removed the Arabic texts on the naira notes as the CBN governor in 2007.
Nigerians predict Anambra guber election winner
Recall that the campaigns, rallies, streets and markets storms came to an end ahead of the Anambra governorship election.
Residents of the southeast visited the polling units as they voted their next Anambra state governor for the next four years.
In a poll by Legit.ng, Nigerians on social media predicted the candidates that might emerge victorious in the Saturday, November 8, 2025 election.
Anambra: Political analyst predicts election outcome
Legit.ng also reported that a political analyst, Donald Okwuosa, predicted the outcome of the Anambra governorship election.
Legit.ng reports that the Anambra state governorship election will hold on Saturday, November 8, 2025.
Governor Charles Soludo will battle it out with Nicholas Ukachukwu and other candidates as he seeks re-election for a second term in office.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
