‘Portrait watermark, gold patch’ — CBN highlights security features of redesigned naira notes

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has disclosed the position of security features on the new series of N200, N500 and N1,000 notes.

The apex bank made this known in a document released on Wednesday.

On December 15, commercial banks began dispensing the redesigned naira notes to customers across the country.

The CBN, in a statement on its website, said the new notes were protected by a number of security features to facilitate easy recognition of genuine ones in case of counterfeiting.

It said the distinguishing features, which can be recognised by touch and visibility, are the raised print, the security thread, and the watermark.

According to the CBN, other areas such as the portrait, lettering and the denominational numerals on the obverse and reverse of the notes are embossed.

The apex bank explained that raised prints provide the tactility, while the security thread, which ordinarily looks broken but is not when held up against light, has “CBN” in small lettering printed on both sides of the notes.

The CBN said the naira notes are protected against photocopying as they contain features which are visible under ultraviolet light: for example, the serial number on each note is black but turns green under ultraviolet light.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN governor, had said the redesigned naira notes cannot be counterfeited due to its security features.

“Let me tell you this, these notes cannot be counterfeited because of the security features in them; nobody can counterfeit them,” Emefiele had said after President Muhammadu Buhari unveiled the notes.

“What you could only find will be people making photocopies of these notes. If you follow due process to check the authenticity of a currency and take them through the UV (ultraviolet) light, you will find that this currency cannot be counterfeited. The best you will find is photocopies.

“What I am trying to say is that to reduce that incidence of counterfeiting or photocopying, that is why we are saying that the CBN must now, without waiting every five to eight years, redesign and reissue these notes.

“So that those who think they can take advantage of the system by counterfeiting will know that the game is over for them.”

The security features on the redesigned notes are labelled below: