On Friday, the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting (NSPM) Plc, commonly known as MINT, clarified why the new Naira notes leave ink when touched on plain white surfaces while emphasizing that top worldwide best practices were followed in their manufacturing.

The company, commonly known as The MINT, is in charge of creating the naira, the currency of Nigeria.

Ahmed Halilu, the managing director of NSPM, said in a statement on Friday that the company’s attention has been attracted to several videos, sketches, complaints, and comments on various platforms about the quality of the new notes.

Halilu responded to some of the concerns of the new naira notes by saying they were made of the same materials as the old ones and went through the same printing and finishing processes.

He explained:

“It is, therefore, basically the same as the other notes in circulation.”

“It is, however, important to note that new banknotes are generally light when issued, then become heavier in circulation on getting in contact with 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.

Halilu added that his agency would continue to make sure that the new naira notes adhere to international standards. He further claimed that the new naira notes were produced using the best international method

“Our national symbol and legal tender is the naira. Therefore, we request that Nigerians and other naira banknote users refrain from using our banknotes as test subjects to establish a point.