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The short answer
The CBN lists six security features on naira notes: raised print, embossed portrait and numerals, a security thread with 'CBN' lettering that looks broken but is continuous against light, an electrotype watermark on the ₦100 to ₦1,000 notes, gold or silver patches on the ₦200 and ₦500, and inks that glow under ultraviolet light. A fake usually fails the feel test and the light test first.
Most fake naira notes are not caught by careful inspection. They are caught, or missed, in the half-second when a note changes hands. Knowing exactly what the Central Bank of Nigeria says should be on a note lets you replace a vague sense that 'something is off' with checks you can name. This guide uses only the features the CBN lists on its own security features page.
The six features the CBN lists
| Feature | How you check it | Which notes (per CBN page) |
|---|---|---|
| Raised print | Feel: run a fingertip over the print; it should feel slightly rough and raised | Not specified by denomination |
| Embossed portrait, lettering and numerals | Feel: the portrait, words and value figures stand up from the paper on both sides | Not specified by denomination |
| Security thread | Look, then hold to light: on the surface it looks like a broken line; against light it becomes one continuous strip with tiny 'CBN' lettering, readable from both sides | Not specified by denomination |
| Electrotype watermark | Hold to light: an image appears in the paper itself, not printed on top | ₦1,000, ₦500, ₦200, ₦100 |
| Gold or silver patch | Feel and look: a metallic patch with an embossed outline of the Nigerian coat of arms | ₦500, ₦200 |
| UV-reactive ink | Under an ultraviolet lamp, parts of the note glow in bright, changed colours | Not specified by denomination |
The CBN page does not describe every denomination in detail, and it does not cover the lower-value notes feature by feature. For those, the feel and thread checks are still the most useful, and your bank can confirm a note you are unsure about.
What a fake usually gets wrong
Counterfeit notes in circulation are commonly reported to be made with ordinary printers on ordinary paper. That method struggles with exactly the features the CBN chose:
- Feel. A printed copy is flat. It cannot reproduce raised print or embossing, so the note feels smooth or waxy, and the portrait has no texture.
- The thread. A forger can print a grey line, but it stays the same when held to light: either always broken or always solid. On a real note it looks broken on the surface and continuous against light, with 'CBN' lettering.
- The watermark. A printed watermark is visible without holding the note up, often as a faint grey picture on the surface. A real electrotype watermark sits inside the paper and shows clearly only against light.
- The metallic patch. A shiny sticker or foil print may look right, but you will not feel the embossed coat of arms outline.
- UV. Ordinary paper often glows evenly blue-white under UV, while a real note shows specific areas lighting up in colour. This is the check most shops skip, and the one a cheap UV lamp makes easy.
A worked example: the evening count
Example: a provisions shop takes in 40 notes of ₦1,000 during the evening rush. At closing, the owner fans the stack and rubs each portrait with a thumb. One note feels smoother than the rest. Held to the shop bulb, its thread stays broken and there is no watermark image. That single note is ₦1,000 of loss, but caught at the till instead of at the bank, and the owner now knows which hour and which customers to watch. For a ten-second routine you can run on every note at the counter, see our quick checking routine for shops.
Who sees the most fakes
Fake notes end up where cash moves fastest and checks are quickest: market stalls, transport fares, fuel stations at night, small eateries and POS agents paying out cash. Cash still matters in these places even though the CBN has tightened cash rules. Since 1 January 2026, as reported by Channels TV, individuals can withdraw up to ₦500,000 a week across all channels, with a 3% fee on amounts above that. Limits like this push more payments to transfer, but they do not remove cash from daily trade, so the people who take the most notes should build the check into every sale rather than saving it for large notes or strangers.
If you think a note is fake
- Do not hand it back to the person who gave it to you or spend it on. Set it aside.
- Note when and how you received it: time, transaction, and anything you remember about the payer.
- Take it to your bank and ask how it handles a suspected counterfeit. The CBN security features page does not set out a surrender procedure, so ask your bank or the police rather than relying on rumours.
- If you were deliberately passed fake notes, report it to the nearest police station with your notes on the transaction.
Fake currency is one of several cash-handling risks. The others, including the 'one-chance' tricks and POS scams, are covered in money scams in Lagos.
Where Pryme fits
The simplest way to avoid fake notes is to handle fewer of them. If you sell from a shop, a Pryme Business Account lets customers pay by bank transfer, and bank-transfer checkout is free. Transfers have their own risk in fake alerts, so confirm money in your account before releasing goods; see how to spot a fake credit alert.
Questions people ask
How can I know fake naira notes?
Feel for the raised print and embossed portrait, then hold the note to light: the security thread should become continuous with 'CBN' lettering, and the ₦100 to ₦1,000 notes should show a watermark inside the paper.
What are the security features of the naira note?
The CBN lists raised print, embossed portrait and numerals, a security thread, an electrotype watermark, gold or silver patches on ₦200 and ₦500, and UV-reactive ink.
Does the ₦1,000 note have a watermark?
Yes. The CBN lists an electrotype watermark on the ₦1,000, ₦500, ₦200 and ₦100 notes.
What should I do if someone gives me a fake note?
Do not spend it on. Set it aside, note how you got it, and ask your bank or the police how to hand it in.
Sources
- CBN: Security Features of naira notes · accessed Oct 2026
- CBN revises cash withdrawal rules effective January 2026 (Channels TV, 3 Dec 2025) · accessed Oct 2026
This article is general information, not financial, legal or tax advice. Products described are provided under the terms on this site and are subject to regulation and eligibility.