Naira Abuse: Repeal CBN’s Section 21, Act 2007

On Friday, Deji Adeyanju, the Nigerian human rights lawyer and activist, called on the National Assembly to repeal Section 21, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007 on abuse of the Naira.

In an open letter signed by Adeyanju and addressed to the National Assembly, which was made available to Vanguard, he said the rigid application of Section 21 has not distinguished between deliberate mutilation and cultural expression.

The letter read in part, “Huey P. Newton once said, “Laws should be made to serve the people. People should not be made to serve the laws.”This timeless truth reminds us that laws must grow from the soil of a people’s lived experience, history, culture, and daily realities. When there is a gap between what the law dictates and how the people live, tension is inevitable. And when that gap widens, the law begins to feel distant, less like a source of order, and more like a burden.

“The spraying of money has long been a cherished cultural practice in Nigeria that is deep-rooted in the social fabric of celebrations such as weddings, birthdays, funerals, chieftaincy ceremonies, etc. It is an act that expresses joy, generosity, and goodwill.

“For many communities, spraying money is not merely a display of wealth but a performative language of affection and cultural significance.

“However, the recent stance by law enforcement agencies against what is defined as the “mutilation” or “abuse” of the Naira in line with the provision of Section 21, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007, has resulted in the prosecution of prominent figures for acts seemingly innocuous as spraying money at events. Section 21 of the CBN Act criminalizes tampering with the Naira, which includes spraying, writing on, stapling, or otherwise defacing notes.

“The intention behind this legislation, presumably, is to preserve the integrity and longevity of the national currency. But while the protection of the Naira is a valid objective, the enforcement of this law reveals troubling inconsistencies and raises serious questions about cultural context, proportionality in punishment, and the selective targeting of individuals. What the law characterizes as abuse is, for millions of Nigerians, a legitimate form of celebration. In practice, sprayed notes are not necessarily damaged or rendered unusable.

“They are often collected, preserved, and reintroduced into circulation. Yet, this nuance is lost in the rigid application of Section 21, which draws no meaningful distinction between deliberate mutilation and cultural expression.

“The real irony lies not just in how the law is enforced, but in where the greatest abuse of the Naira actually occurs. It is not at weddings or on red carpets, but in everyday places like markets, churches, and mosques, where people engage directly with the currency to trade, give offerings, or make donations.

“In these spaces, Naira notes are handled repeatedly, exchanged quickly, folded, squeezed, and passed from hand to hand. Naturally, they become worn, torn, or defaced over time. This is not a crime; it is the reality of a currency in circulation. Even when handled with care, the Naira will eventually show signs of wear. This is not unique to Nigeria. Even the most respected currencies in the world (Dollars, Pounds, and Euros) suffer the same fate in the hands of ordinary people conducting daily transactions. To criminalize ordinary cultural or commercial engagement with money is to misunderstand the nature of currency itself.

“Does gently placing a note on someone’s forehead count as tampering with the Naira? In seeking to protect the naira, the law appears to be devaluing the rich cultural symbolism that gives money meaning beyond its economic function.

“We must not let the enforcement of the law become an instrument that erodes our traditions and way of life. Any law that targets the way of life of the people is not a good law. Such a law is out of touch and out of place with the cultural heartbeat of the nation it seeks to govern.

“The law must serve the people, not the other way around. Section 21 of the CBN Act, 2007, in its current form, fails to recognize the nuanced ways in which money functions within our society. Money is not just a medium of exchange to us as Nigerians; it is a symbol of honour, celebration, and community.

“By criminalizing cultural expressions that have endured for centuries, the state is inserting itself into the intimate spaces of celebration and replacing communal joy with the threat of legal consequences. In light of the foregoing, I respectfully call on the National Assembly to:Review and repeal or amend Section 21 of the CBN Act to align with our cultural realities.

“Distinguish between destructive defacement and cultural practices like spraying at events.Ensure that enforcement mechanisms are just, proportional, and uniformly applied.

“Promote public education around responsible handling of currency rather than criminalization.

“This is a call for a legal system that honours the traditions of its people while protecting the nation’s interests. As a concerned citizen, I am willing to collaborate with lawmakers, legal experts, and cultural leaders to develop a more inclusive framework that respects both cultural expression and the integrity of the naira.

“If the goal is truly to protect the Naira, then the law must evolve to balance its regulatory objectives with cultural realities of its people and reaffirm the principle that justice must both be fair and contextually grounded.”