Central Bank of Nigeria

Historical and Issue Context

Tribute to the first Prime Minister:the obverse portrays Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, first Prime Minister of Nigeria (1912–1966), a central figure in the country's independence.

Printed in Germany:Giesecke & Devrient printed most of the issues in this series on Guardian® polymer substrate; certain subvariants were printed on a split basis by the Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Company within Nigeria.¹

Key Details Visible on the Banknote

• Obverse:portrait of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the Central Bank of Nigeria logo, with a diamond-shaped tactile mark in the upper-left corner for visually impaired users.
• Reverse:Traditional Nkpokiti dancers with drums, the coat of arms of Nigeria and a map of the country in the colors of the national flag.⁵
• Multilingual text:Hausa (“Naira Biyar”), Yoruba (“Náírà Márùn-ún”) and Igbo (“Naira Ise”).
• Transparent window:clear window at the upper right, with a stamped Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) logo.
• Shadow image:opacified design on the substrate that reveals the letters “CBN” when illuminated.⁶
• Color:shades of mauve, pink and subprinted in light orange.

Historical and Issue Context

Tribute to a Nigerian educator:the obverse portrays Dr. Alvan Ikoku (1900–1971), prominent Nigerian educator, activist and politician, with a square tactile mark in the upper left corner for the visually impaired.

Printed in Germany:Like the 5 Naira banknote, Giesecke & Devrient printed most examples on Guardian® substrate, with local variants produced by Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Company.¹

Key Details Visible on the Banknote

• Obverse:portrait of Dr. Alvan Ikoku and the Central Bank of Nigeria logo.
• Reverse:two Fulani milkmaids carrying decorative milk containers on their heads, the coat of arms of Nigeria and a map of the country in the colors of the national flag.
• Multilingual text:Hausa (“Naira Goma”), Yoruba (“Náírà Méwàá”) and Igbo (“Naira Iri”).
• Transparent window:Fully transparent window on the right side of the front, with a stamp stamped with the CBN logo.
• Shadow image:An opaque feature of the substrate that reveals the letters “CBN” against the light.
• Color:red tones, brick orange and multicolor subprinted.

Historical and Issue Context

Collective portrait:unlike other denominations, the obverse features a composite portrait of four ordinary Nigerian citizens representing the country’s ethnic and cultural diversity, with a triangular tactile mark in the upper-left corner.

Printed in Germany:Like the other denominations in this series, most examples were printed by Giesecke & Devrient on Guardian® substrate, with local variants by the Nigerian Security Printing & Minting Company.¹

Key Details Visible on the Banknote

• Obverse:composite portrait of four Nigerian citizens representing different ethnic groups and cultural regions of the country.
• Reverse:local fishermen holding a large catch of fish, alluding to the country's traditional fishing industry, alongside the coat of arms and a map of Nigeria.
• Multilingual text:Hausa (“Naira Hamsin”), Yoruba (“Àádọ́ta Náírà”) and Igbo (“Naira Iri Ise”).
• Transparent window:Fully transparent window on the right side of the front, with a stamp stamped with the CBN logo.
• Shadow image:An opaque feature of the substrate that reveals the letters “CBN” against the light.
• Color:blue, gray tones and multicolor subprinted.