By Glory Ajai
ABUJA— The trial of former Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over the alleged unlawful redesign of the naira suffered another setback on Thursday, July 16, 2026, after both the defendant and his lead counsel failed to appear before the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja.
The matter, which was scheduled for continuation before Justice Maryanne Anenih, could not proceed after prosecution counsel, Abbas Mohammed, told the court that neither Mr. Emefiele nor his lawyer, Olalekan Ojo, SAN, was present.
“My Lord, the defence and the defendant are not in court,” Mohammed informed the judge. “We received today’s date from the court registrar. Our witness, PW9, is present in court, as well as another witness from the Federal Ministry of Finance.”
According to the prosecution, Mr. Ojo had earlier communicated that the defence team was unaware of the adjourned date. “I spoke with learned Silk for the defence, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, SAN, who informed me that they were unaware of the adjourned date,” Mohammed said. “In view of the absence of the defendant and his counsel, we respectfully pray the court for another date to enable us to present our witnesses.”
Justice Anenih, after hearing the submission, adjourned the case to October 6 and 7, 2026, for continuation of trial. The two-day window was set to allow the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, which is prosecuting the case, to present its witnesses without further delay.
Emefiele is facing a four-count charge bordering on alleged disobedience to lawful directives and unlawful acts said to have caused harm to members of the public in connection with the controversial naira redesign policy implemented during his tenure at the CBN.
The naira redesign, which was rolled out in late 2022 and took effect in early 2023, remains one of the most contentious economic policies in recent Nigerian history. The CBN under Emefiele had announced the introduction of redesigned N200, N500 and N1,000 notes, with the stated objectives of curbing counterfeiting, reducing cash outside the banking system, and combating inflation.
However, the implementation triggered widespread cash scarcity across the country. Banks ran out of new notes, Automated Teller Machines dispensed limited cash, and millions of Nigerians struggled to access money for basic transactions for weeks. The hardship sparked protests in several states and drew criticism from state governments, lawmakers, and economic analysts who argued that the timeline was too rushed.
The EFCC alleges that aspects of the policy were carried out in violation of due process and without proper approval, and that the manner of execution caused direct hardship to citizens. The charges against Emefiele specifically reference disobedience to lawful directives and actions deemed to have negatively impacted the public.
Since leaving office in 2023, Emefiele has faced multiple legal proceedings on different allegations. Thursday’s development marks yet another delay in the naira redesign case, which has already seen several adjournments since it began.
Absence of a defendant and counsel is not unusual in high-profile trials, but repeated delays have raised concerns about the pace of justice in cases involving public officials.
With two key prosecution witnesses already in court on Thursday, including PW9 and a representative from the Federal Ministry of Finance, the EFCC is expected to move quickly to present its evidence when the trial resumes in October.
For many Nigerians still grappling with the economic fallout of the 2023 cash crunch, the case represents more than a legal proceeding. It is viewed as a test of accountability for major policy decisions that affect everyday life.
As the court rose, lawyers and court attendees were informed that hearing notices for the October dates would be issued to all parties to avoid a repeat of Thursday’s communication gap.
