If you have been to a Nigerian party in the last two years and sprayed naira notes, you technically committed a criminal offence. Most people do not know this. Some people know it and assume enforcement is rare. Both groups are increasingly wrong.
What the law actually says
Section 21(3) of the Central Bank of Nigeria Act makes it illegal to spray, squeeze, mutilate, or otherwise damage naira notes. The law applies at social events specifically. The penalty is imprisonment for not less than six months, a fine of not less than ₦50,000, or both.
This law has existed for a long time. What changed recently is that the EFCC and CBN began enforcing it aggressively and very publicly.
The enforcement wave
- Bobrisky: sentenced to 6 months imprisonment, no option of fine
- TikToker Teee Dollar: 6 months after a viral video showing ₦200 notes being sprayed
- Cubana Chief Priest: arraigned at Federal High Court Lagos, ₦10 million bail
- E-Money: arrested for spraying naira and dollars at public events
- Iyabo Ojo and AY: both invited by EFCC for questioning
- Actress sentenced in Lagos in 2025 — the same week naira was sprayed in the President's presence at a public function, causing a national conversation
These are not obscure cases. They are high-profile Nigerians who were publicly arrested, prosecuted, or investigated. The message is clear: enforcement is real and it targets visible offenders first.
What people switched to — and why it still does not solve everything
Wealthy Nigerians at high-profile events largely switched to spraying dollars to avoid the naira-specific law. Davido's wedding in Miami was dollars. Many Lagos A-list events shifted to dollar spray.
But dollar spraying has its own problems. The CBN has flagged it for potential foreign exchange regulation violations. More practically, it does not solve the theft problem — the same money that falls on the floor and goes missing is just in a different denomination.
The legal alternative
Digital spray through Giftinz removes the legal risk entirely. No notes are handled, folded, sprayed, or damaged. Every transaction is processed through a CBN-licensed payment infrastructure. You get a receipt. There is a full audit trail. That is exactly what the law requires.
And the experience of spraying stays intact. You walk to the floor. Your name appears on the sprayboard. The crowd reacts. The money lands in the celebrant's wallet instantly.
Spray legally. Spray digitally.
Create your event on Giftinz