The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has broken its silence over viral claims of a new 5,000 naira note, describing the reports as fake and not from the apex bank. The CBN reacted after images of purported 5,000 and 10,000 naira notes circulated widely on WhatsApp and Facebook, with some posts claiming the denominations would enter circulation from May 1.
In a statement via its official handle on X, the CBN said the viral circular was fake and urged Nigerians to rely on its official communication channels. “The content is not from the Central Bank of Nigeria. Kindly note that the official website of the CBN is cbn.gov.ng,” the bank stated.
The false document included a fake CBN press release signed by a “Dr. Ibrahim Tahir Jr.”, cited as CBN’s deputy governor, and pictures of the supposed bank notes featuring former Nigerian statesman Obafemi Awolowo and the first president of independent Nigeria, Nnamdi Azikiwe. Local media also quoted the CBN in a separate statement as saying there is no deputy CBN governor by the name of Dr. Ibrahim Tahir Jr.
The CBN reiterated that there are nine banknote denominations currently in circulation in Nigeria, with 1,000 naira being the highest, according to the CBN website. The bank added that counterfeiting naira notes is a criminal offense punishable by at least five years imprisonment, as warned by Acting Director for Corporate Communications, Hakama Ali.
Reuters Fact Check team produced a verdict on the claims, stating: “False. The CBN said on its social media channels that the so-called announcement being circulated is fake”.
