Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN), has raised alarm over the growing trend of bribes being paid in foreign currency, warning that the dollarisation of the Nigerian economy undermines the naira and fuels corruption.
Falana made the remarks on Sunday night, September 14 during an interview on Politics Today, a programme on Channels Television. He argued that the acceptance and promotion of the dollar over the naira, even by government officials, was worsening the economic crisis and eroding confidence in Nigeria’s legal tender.
“The president was announcing gifts to footballers in dollars, not naira. It has to stop. We must promote the naira, not the dollar,” he said.
He reminded Nigerians that it is unlawful to reject the naira for transactions within the country: “As a matter of fact, it is a criminal offence to reject the naira. We need to stop paying fees and buying properties in dollars.”
Falana’s comments come amid rising concerns about the depreciation of the naira and the increased use of dollars in real estate, school fees, business contracts, and even illicit payments. He insisted that stronger enforcement of existing laws and stricter regulation of foreign currency use are necessary to restore the value of the national currency.
