eNaira

Supported standards

This wallet supports the following visual-code standards:

• e-naira-qr

Overview

eNaira is Nigeria's central bank digital currency (CBDC), launched by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on October 25, 2021. It is Africa's first official CBDC and is legal tender in Nigeria, equivalent in value to physical naira notes and coins. The eNaira is available in two versions: eNaira Wallet (for individuals and businesses) and eNaira Lite (for offline/agent-assisted transactions). The eNaira uses EMVCo MPM-compliant QR codes for merchant payments.

History

October 25, 2021 — President Muhammadu Buhari officially launched the eNaira, making Nigeria the first country in Africa and the second globally (after China's e-CNY pilot) to launch a retail CBDC. The launch was announced months in advance as part of Nigeria's broader digital payments strategy.

2022–2024 — The CBN worked on onboarding banks, fintechs, and merchants to the eNaira platform. The wallet supports both online and offline transactions via NFC and QR codes.

2024–2025 — The eNaira gained additional features including interoperability with commercial bank accounts, cross-border payment pilots, and expanded merchant acceptance.

Ownership & operator

• Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) — the issuer and operator of the eNaira. The CBN is the sole issuer of eNaira, which is digital legal tender.
• Regulator: CBN (also the operator) — the eNaira is a direct liability of the central bank, unlike commercial e-wallets.
• Licensed eNaira On-Ramp Providers: commercial banks and fintechs that help users acquire eNaira through their existing bank accounts.

Technical integration

QR-code payments — eNaira supports EMVCo MPM-compliant QR code payments for merchant purchases. The QR codes follow the URL QR format and are interoperable with other EMVCo QR standards.

Offline transactions — The eNaira app supports offline NFC and QR-based transactions, allowing peer-to-peer payments without an internet connection. This is a key differentiator from most mobile money platforms.

eNaira Lite — A simplified version of the wallet designed for agents and offline use cases. eNaira Lite enables cash-in/cash-out services through designated agents.

Channels: Mobile app (iOS, Android), web dashboard for businesses, agent network, offline NFC.

Identifiers accepted: QR code (primary), wallet ID (for P2P), phone number.

Users & growth

• Registered users: Millions of registered users (exact active user figures not publicly disclosed by CBN).
• The eNaira has faced adoption challenges common to CBDCs, including competition from established mobile money platforms (M-Pesa, OPay, Palmpay) and low public awareness.
• The CBN has been working to incentivize adoption through merchant discounts, agent networks, and integration with government payments.

Use cases

• Merchant payments: QR-code payments at merchants across Nigeria; eNaira QR is EMVCo MPM-compliant.
• P2P transfers: Send eNaira to other users via wallet ID, phone number, or QR code scan.
• Bill payments: Pay utility bills, school fees, and government payments.
• Offline transactions: Peer-to-peer payments without internet connectivity via NFC/QR.
• Cross-border payments: Piloting cross-border eNaira transactions with neighboring countries.
• Government disbursements: Salary payments, social welfare, and subsidy disbursements.
• Agent-based cash-in/cash-out: eNaira Lite agents for unbanked populations.

Implementations & partners

• Bank partners: Commercial banks (GTBank, Access Bank, Zenith Bank, UBA, First Bank, etc.) serve as eNaira on-ramp providers, allowing their customers to acquire and hold eNaira.
• Fintech partners: Integration with payment processors and QR merchants.
• Agent network: Designated eNaira Lite agents for cash-in/cash-out services.
• Cross-border: Pilot partnerships with neighboring African countries for cross-border CBDC payments.

Fun facts

• Africa's first CBDC: Nigeria was the first African country and the second globally (after China) to launch a retail CBDC.
• Legal tender: Unlike most e-wallets, eNaira is central bank money (not commercial e-money) — it is digital cash with the same legal status as physical naira notes.
• Offline capability: The eNaira app supports offline transactions, a rare feature among mobile wallets. This uses NFC and QR codes stored in a secure element.
• Bukola Sarumi: The CBN's Project Lead for eNaira is Bukola Sarumi, who has been a key advocate for CBDC adoption in Africa.

Comparison

Feature	eNaira	OPay	Palmpay	M-Pesa Nigeria
Operator	CBN (central bank)	OPay (fintech)	Palmpay (fintech)	Safaricom/Vodafone
Type	CBDC (legal tender)	E-wallet	E-wallet	Mobile money
QR payments	Yes (EMVCo MPM)	Yes	Yes	Limited
Offline	Yes (NFC/QR)	No	No	No
Backed by	Central bank	Private company	Private company	Safaricom
Users	Millions (growing)	50M+	20M+	~10M

eNaira's key differentiator is that it is central bank money (not private e-money), has offline transaction capability, and serves as legal tender — features no commercial wallet in Nigeria can match.

Status

Active. The eNaira remains Nigeria's official CBDC. The CBN continues to expand merchant acceptance, agent networks, and cross-border interoperability. While adoption has been gradual, the eNaira's unique position as legal tender and its offline capability give it a distinctive role in Nigeria's payments ecosystem.

Sources

[1] eNaira — CBN Official Site — Central Bank of Nigeria, 2026. [2] eNaira Release Documentation — CBN, 2021. [3] eNaira - Wikipedia — Wikipedia, 2026. [4] CBN eNaira: Africa's First CBDC — IMF, Oct 2021. [5] eNaira Adoption Update — CBN, 2024–2025.

Source

Biography extracted from e-naira.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.

Source

Biography extracted from e-naira.md. See matrix.md for standards-support matrix if present.