Heartbreak For Lovers As CBN Flags Money Bouquets As Naira Abuse, Offenders Face Six Months In Jail

✍️ By Teju/ February 12, 2026/ 11:50am

Romantic Valentine’s Day gestures involving money bouquets and similar cash gifts could land celebrants in trouble with Nigerian authorities this year, after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reaffirmed that using naira notes in such ways amounts to currency abuse under the law.

According to the CBN, practices like turning legal tender into flower bouquets, cake decorations, or other ornamental displays using banknotes are forms of Naira abuse, similar to other prohibited acts such as spraying, selling, squeezing, stamping, or defacing currency. 

Under Section 21 of the CBN Act 2007 (as amended), anyone found guilty of tampering with the naira faces a minimum of six months’ imprisonment, a fine of at least ₦50,000, or both. The law specifically defines abuse to include any deliberate act that impairs, defaces, staples, rolls, glues, or otherwise renders banknotes unfit for circulation. 

The prohibition on money bouquets is part of a broader drive by the apex bank to protect the integrity of the naira and discourage practices that increase replacement costs, undermine currency quality, or disrespect the nation’s legal tender. The CBN has historically warned that spraying, stepping on, matching (scattering) or decorating banknotes at social events could draw prosecution in collaboration with enforcement agencies like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Nigeria Police Force. 

While money bouquets and cash cakes are increasingly popular gifts during celebrations such as Valentine’s Day, weddings, and birthdays, the CBN’s stance makes it clear that well‑intended gestures could inadvertently violate currency laws. Nigerians have been urged to protect the naira and report violations to the relevant authorities as enforcement steps up across the country. 

Critics of the policy argue that cultural expressions involving money should be balanced with legal considerations, while supporters emphasize the importance of preserving the durability and legitimacy of the naira, particularly at a time when cash‑handling costs and currency circulation challenges are already high. Regardless, the message from the apex bank is unambiguous: handling naira with respect is now a legal obligation.