The Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed a suit challenging the use of Arabic inscriptions on Naira notes. Justice Yellin Bogoro ruled that the plaintiff, a Lagos-based lawyer named Malcom Omirhobo, failed to prove that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) exercised its powers in bad faith.
The court based its decision on Section 53(1) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), which empowers the CBN to print, design, and issue currency. Justice Bogoro emphasized that establishing bad faith was necessary before challenging the actions of the CBN or the Federal Government.
Omirhobo had filed the suit in January 2020, arguing that Arabic, not being one of Nigeria’s official languages (English, Yoruba, Hausa, and Igbo), should not appear on the country’s currency. He contended that its presence violated certain provisions of the Constitution, as Arabic is not indigenous to Nigeria.
Despite dismissing the CBN’s preliminary objection regarding Omirhobo’s standing to file the suit, the court ultimately sided with the CBN, MURIC (Muslim Rights Concern), and other interested parties. It held that while Nigeria is a secular state with no religion or ethnic group superior to another, the Arabic inscriptions do not contravene this principle.
Reacting to the judgment, Omirhobo expressed his intention to review the Certified True Copy of the judgment to decide on his next legal steps. Meanwhile, MURIC described the judgment as a significant victory for religious tolerance in Nigeria.
