CBN bans use of money bouquets ahead of Valentine’s Day, threatens offenders with a 6-month jail term, N50,000 fine
ONLINEPIKIN reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Thursday, February 12, banned the use of money bouquets, also known as flower cash bouquets, ahead of Valentine’s Day, classifying the practice as naira abuse and declaring that offenders risk a six-month jail term, a ₦50,000 fine, or both.
The apex bank stated that arranging banknotes into decorative bouquets constitutes offences such as spraying, squeezing, selling, and defacing the naira.
According to the CBN, individuals found violating the regulation face up to six months’ imprisonment in line with existing laws protecting the integrity of the national currency.
A money bouquet involves folding banknotes to resemble flower petals and arranging them together to form a bouquet.
The CBN made this known in a flier shared on its official X (formerly Twitter) handle, listing various forms of naira abuse.
Read More: JUST IN: CBN Hikes Interest Rate To 27.50 Per Cent
Captioning the post, the apex bank wrote: “It is your civic duty to protect the naira. Report naira abuse today.”
Under the CBN Act, anyone caught tampering with the naira faces a minimum of six months’ imprisonment or a fine of at least ₦50,000.
Nigerians have been urged to safeguard the naira and report violations as enforcement agencies intensify actions against offenders nationwide.
The CBN also provided toll-free hotlines through which members of the public can report such activities.
The directive comes just days before Valentine’s Day, a period when many people express affection by gifting loved ones money, bouquets, and other items.