The Federal Government has cautioned Nigerians against the growing trend of gifting “money bouquets” as Valentine’s Day approaches, describing the act as a form of naira abuse.

In a recent public notice released on its official social media pages, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) stated that arranging banknotes into bouquet-style gifts — where notes are folded and designed to look like flowers — violates the country’s currency handling regulations.

According to the apex bank, such practices fall under prohibited activities including spraying, mutilating, squeezing, selling, or otherwise defacing the naira. The CBN emphasized that safeguarding the national currency is a collective responsibility and encouraged citizens to report cases of abuse through its designated toll-free hotlines.

The warning is backed by provisions in the CBN Act, which stipulate that anyone found guilty of mishandling or defacing the naira risks a minimum penalty of six months imprisonment, a fine of at least ₦50,000, or both.

With Valentine’s Day celebrations around the corner — a time when cash-themed gifts are commonly exchanged — authorities say monitoring and enforcement efforts will be stepped up across the country.