The Central Bank of Nigeria has warned Nigerians against the increasingly popular trend of “money bouquets,” declaring the practice a form of naira abuse and a punishable offence under existing law.

Money bouquets are decorative arrangements in which banknotes are folded into shapes resembling flower petals and assembled into a bouquet, often combined with chocolates, perfumes, or other gifts. They have become a fashionable way to present cash at weddings, birthdays, and especially during Valentine’s Day celebrations.

The apex bank, in a public sensitisation message shared through its official channels, listed money bouquets alongside spraying, squeezing, selling, writing on, and otherwise defacing banknotes as prohibited acts. It reminded the public that the naira is a national symbol that must be handled with respect, not treated as party props or decorative material.

Under the Central Bank of Nigeria Act, 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 bank stressed that folding and pinning notes into elaborate bouquets falls within this definition, as it distorts and damages the currency.

With Valentine’s Day approaching, enforcement agencies have been placed on alert as demand for money bouquets typically spikes during the season of gift-giving. The CBN is urging event planners, florists, gift vendors, and individuals to desist from offering or requesting such arrangements, warning that ignorance of the law will not be accepted as a defence.

The regulator has also encouraged citizens to see the protection of the naira as a civic responsibility. Members of the public are being asked to report cases of naira abuse to designated hotlines and relevant authorities, as part of a broader campaign to preserve the quality and longevity of banknotes in circulation.

Officials argue that beyond the symbolic disrespect, widespread mishandling of notes accelerates wear and tear, increases replacement costs, and undermines efforts to maintain a clean and secure currency system. They are instead advising Nigerians to give cash in envelopes or through electronic transfers if they wish to offer monetary gifts during Valentine’s festivities.

The renewed warning signals a tougher stance by the authorities as they move to curb practices that degrade the naira, even when such acts are wrapped in the language of love and celebration.