The Federal Government has announced a ban on the spraying and decorative use of naira notes ahead of the 2026 Valentine’s Day celebration.
The directive, which takes effect nationwide, targets practices such as making money bouquets, cash towers, and decorative cakes with banknotes during social and romantic events.
According to government authorities, the action was taken to enforce Nigeria’s currency laws, as such practices are considered illegal and will no longer be tolerated.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) described the trend as an abuse of the national currency, warning that shaping, folding, spraying, or designing banknotes for gifts and ceremonies amounts to defacing legal tender.
The bank stated that the naira is a national symbol that must be handled with care and respect, adding that treating money as party decoration weakens its dignity and public value.
Officials also cautioned event planners, gift vendors, and individuals who engage in such displays, stressing that anyone found producing or using money bouquets and similar items risks arrest and possible prosecution under existing laws.
Security agencies and regulatory bodies have been directed to monitor public events and commercial activities during the Valentine period. Enforcement will focus on parties, weddings, and street celebrations where cash spraying and money designs are common.
The government advised Nigerians to choose alternative gift options such as flowers, cards, or packaged items instead of cash displays, noting that love and celebration should not involve damaging the country’s currency.
The warning comes as Valentine’s Day approaches, a season known for increased use of cash-themed gifts and public spraying of naira at romantic events across the country.
