Every time a Nigerian writes on a banknote, staples it, or sprays it at a party, the country pays a price.
That was the core message from Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor Olayemi Cardoso on Tuesday, June 24, 2026, as he inaugurated the CBN’s Naira Ambassadors Club in Abuja โ a youth-led initiative designed to change how Nigerians treat our currency.
The club launched with 175 pioneer student members drawn from seven schools in the Federal Capital Territory.
Cardoso said the programme was built on a straightforward conviction: lasting social change works best when it starts with young people.
He was direct about the financial consequences of currency mishandling.
“When banknotes are defaced, mutilated, or improperly handled, they deteriorate much faster than expected. This increases replacement costs, disrupts the efficiency of currency circulation, and imposes avoidable financial burdens on the nation,” he said.
The Naira Is More Than Paper โ It Is a National Symbol
Cardoso described the naira as far more than a medium of exchange. He said every banknote carries the portraits of distinguished Nigerians, national symbols, and embedded security features โ all designed to sustain public confidence in the monetary system.
Furthermore, he framed proper currency handling not as a regulatory matter but as a civic obligation.
“The preservation of our currency is therefore not merely an operational concern for the Central Bank; it is a matter of national responsibility,” he said.
The CBN, he added, invests significant resources in producing clean, durable, and secure banknotes.
That investment, he argued, is wasted when notes are returned to circulation in damaged condition โ forcing earlier-than-necessary replacement and straining the bank’s operational budget.
Students Named Ambassadors With a Clear Assignment
Cardoso laid out what the 175 pioneer members are expected to do in their schools and communities.
“As Naira Ambassadors, you are expected to become advocates of proper currency handling. You will educate your classmates on why banknotes should not be written on, stapled, mutilated, or sprayed at social events. You will encourage responsible currency handling in your homes and communities,” he told the students.
He also connected the initiative to the CBN’s recent international recognition. The apex bank was named Central Bank of the Year 2025 โ an award Cardoso said reflected genuine institutional progress and created a responsibility to sustain that momentum through initiatives like this one.
Meanwhile, the governor challenged the seven participating schools to become centres of excellence in currency respect and set standards for institutions across Nigeria to follow.
The Naira Ambassadors Club sits within the CBN’s wider public enlightenment strategy, which combines stakeholder engagement, educational programmes, and community outreach to strengthen public confidence in the naira.
For the 175 students who walked out of Tuesday’s inauguration as pioneer ambassadors, the message was simple: patriotism shows up in everyday actions โ including how you handle a โฆ1,000 note.
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