The Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSPM) Plc, also known as MINT, explained on Friday why the new Naira notes leave ink when rubbed on plain white surfaces while emphasizing that best international practices were followed in their production.
The company, also known as The MINT, is in charge of producing the naira, Nigeria’s currency.
According to a statement issued on Friday by NSPM’s Managing Director, Ahmed Halilu, the company’s attention has been drawn to various clips, skits, concerns, and comments on various platforms about the quality of the redesigned notes.
In response to some of the popular criticisms of the new naira notes, Halilu stated that they were made from the same materials as the old ones and went through the same printing and finishing processes.
“It is thus essentially the same as the other notes in circulation,” he said.
“It is important to note, however, that new banknotes are generally light when issued, but become heavier in circulation when exposed to dirt and moisture,” Halilu added.
“In addition, the second stage of currency printing (intaglio) requires a heavy deposit of special inks with fairly large particles to give a tactile feeling of the portraits as well as other raised prints by way of design.
“Due to the size of the particles, intaglio inks have non-solubility in water and ease of transfer (light stain) on plain white materials.
“This is a common security feature of all banknotes that distinguishes them from forged or counterfeited notes.”
Halilu went on to say that the new naira notes were produced using the best international practices and that his agency would continue to ensure that they met international standards.
“Our legal tender and national symbol is the naira. “As a result, we urge Nigerians and other users of naira banknotes not to experiment with our banknotes in order to prove a point,” he said.
