Human rights lawyer Deji Adeyanju has appealed to the National Assembly, urging lawmakers to amend or repeal Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act, 2007, which criminalises actions deemed as “naira abuse” — including the popular cultural practice of spraying money at events.
In a public letter addressed to the legislature, Adeyanju warned that the current enforcement of the law is “out of touch” with Nigeria’s cultural fabric and risks criminalising deeply rooted social customs.
“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,” Adeyanju argued.
Section 21 of the CBN Act prohibits tampering with the naira, including writing on, stapling, mutilating, or spraying currency notes.
However, the law has come under increased scrutiny in recent months following high-profile arrests of celebrities and event attendees who sprayed money during celebrations.
Adeyanju questioned both the interpretation and the enforcement of the law, arguing that it fails to distinguish between intentional mutilation and cultural expression.
“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,” he wrote.
“What the law characterises as abuse is, for millions of Nigerians, a legitimate form of celebration,” he emphasised.
He pointed out that in many cases, sprayed naira notes are not permanently damaged but are often gathered, preserved, and reintroduced into circulation. According to him, the law’s rigid application disregards this nuance and effectively criminalises symbolic acts of joy and unity.
“In practice, sprayed notes are not necessarily damaged or rendered unusable… Yet, this nuance is lost in the rigid application of Section 21,” he added.
“Does gently placing a note on someone’s forehead count as tampering with the naira?”
Adeyanju also highlighted what he described as the irony in current enforcement practices, noting that the most significant wear on naira notes does not occur at social events but during everyday transactions in markets, churches, mosques, and public transport.
“The real irony lies not just in how the law is enforced, but in where the greatest abuse of the naira actually occurs… In these spaces, naira notes are handled repeatedly, exchanged quickly, folded, squeezed, and passed from hand to hand,” he explained.
“This is not a crime; it is the reality of a currency in circulation.”
Referencing a quote by American revolutionary Huey P. Newton — “Laws should be made to serve the people. People should not be made to serve the laws.” Adeyanju called on lawmakers to ensure legislation reflects the lived experiences and traditions of Nigerians.
“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,” he asserted.
Adeyanju called on the National Assembly to review and amend or repeal Section 21 of the CBN Act.
He also seeks the lawmakers to create a clear legal distinction between destructive defacement and cultural practices, proportional, non-discriminatory enforcement of the law and public education campaigns on responsible currency handling.
“This is a call for a legal system that honours the traditions of its people while protecting the nation’s interests,” he emphasised.
“If the goal is truly to protect the naira, then the law must evolve to balance its regulatory objectives with cultural realities,” he added.
