The impacts of cashless policy on churches in Enugu, Nigeria

Abstract

The study investigates the impacts of the cashless policy on churches in Enugu, Nigeria and was carried out between January 2023 and May 2023 when the cashless policy was newly implemented in Nigeria. Through the purposive selection method, the researcher obtained informed consent to analyse the views of 91 informants (church leaders, members and paid workers) drawn from various churches within Enugu. The data obtained from journal articles, online materials and interviews were interpreted using descriptive analysis. The study discovers that the cashless policy affected many churches in terms of low attendance to services, low income and late coming to services. Again, many churches have adjusted to the demands of the policy by providing other means of financial transactions and educating their members on basic information about the cashless policy. It recommends that more members of various churches should co-operate with their church leaders in their efforts to resort to digital means of financial transactions.

Contribution: The cashless policy affected many churches in terms of low attendance to services, low income and late coming to services. Many church leaders have adjusted to the demands of the policy by providing various means of online financial transactions; however, some members from various churches are yet to embrace the innovation.