As Valentine’s Day approaches, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned Nigerians against spraying, folding, stapling or using naira notes to make “money bouquets” and “money cakes,” saying such acts amount to abuse of the national currency.
The warning comes amid growing social media trends where people design decorative gift bundles made from real naira notes, especially during weddings, birthdays and Valentine’s celebrations. But the bank says turning legal tender into ornaments violates Nigerian law.
According to the CBN, the abuse of the naira includes spraying, mutilating, writing on, stapling, tearing, or converting banknotes into decorative items. The bank stressed that the naira is a national symbol and must be treated with respect.
Under the CBN Act, it is an offence to tamper with or deface the naira. Anyone found guilty of currency abuse can face fines, imprisonment, or both. Some reports say up to 6 months imprisonment or 50,000 naira. Legal experts have explained that while gifting money itself is not illegal, altering the physical form of the currency—folding it into roses, pinning it into bouquets, or baking it into cakes—may fall under mutilation or defacement as defined by law.
Some Nigerians say the warning is unnecessary, arguing that people are simply expressing love and celebration creatively while critics point out that enforcement has historically been selective. While everyday citizens may be warned, powerful individuals seen spraying money at events are rarely prosecuted.
