No ₦5,000 Note Issued

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has debunked a viral image claiming to show a newly introduced ₦5,000 banknote bearing President Bola Tinubu’s portrait.

The apex bank called the image “fake” and asked people to ignore it in a short tweet on Thursday.

“This content is fake. Let the public be guided,” CBN said.

The circulating image, widely shared across social media, was designed to resemble official naira design features, including security markings and serial numbers.

It has fuelled false claims that the CBN had introduced a new high-denomination currency.

This content is fake. Let the public be guided. pic.twitter.com/pPOASXOqf1

— Central Bank of Nigeria (@cenbank) April 9, 2026

Some online posts also alleged that the note was part of a new issuance that would soon enter circulation, but the central bank has made no such announcement.

Fact-checks show the image was generated using artificial intelligence and is not an official currency design.

Discussions about higher-denomination notes in Nigeria are not new.

The CBN once proposed a ₦5,000 note in 2012, during the tenure of then-President Goodluck Jonathan and the CBN governor, Sanusi Lamido, but the plan was later dropped, with no approval for any new high-value notes since.

Author

Jimisayo Opanuga

Jimisayo Opanuga is a web writer in the Digital Department at News Central TV, where she covers African and international stories. Her reporting focuses on social issues, health, justice, and the environment, alongside general-interest news. She is passionate about telling stories that inform the public and give voice to underreported communities.