In this article, we’ll be providing useful tips to identify fake naira notes in Nigeria. We will tell you what security features are on each naira denomination and how to distinguish genuine notes from fakes, either by feeling, tilting or looking closely at the banknote in your hand. Put in mind that you may need to check a few features, not just one, to identify fake notes in Nigeria.
How to identify fake naira notes in Nigeria would be discussed below:
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How to Identify Fake Naira Notes in Nigeria by Looking at the Banknote
In this section of the article, we’ll tell you the security features of genuine naira notes that you’d recognise by just looking at them.
Let’s see what they are below:
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N5
There are several security features to determine if the N5 banknote in your hand is genuine or fake by looking at it. Below, we’ll provide the features to look out for both on the observe (front) and reverse (back) of the N5 banknote:
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Obverse of N5
If you look at the bottom left of the front side of the N5 bank note, you’ll see a unique serial number.
Another security feature to look out for on the front side of the N5 banknote is the transparent window that’s located in the middle right of the banknote, just above the serial number.
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Reverse of N5
On the reverse side of the N5 banknote, you’ll see a transparent window on the middle left of the banknote, just above the 5 numeral.
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N10 Banknote
Let’s see what to look out for on the front and back of the N10 banknote.
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Obverse of N10
You’ll see the unique serial number of the N10 banknote on the bottom right of the banknote.
There is a transparent image on the middle right of the N10 banknote, located just above the serial number.
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Reverse of N10
You’ll see a see-through image on the middle left of the N10 banknote, just above the 10 numeral.
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N20
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Obverse of N20
If you look at the bottom right section of the N20 banknote, you’ll see the unique serial number of the banknote.
On the middle-right section of the N20 banknote, you’ll find a transparent window.
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Reverse of N20
The back of the N20 banknote has a see-through image located on the middle-left side of the banknote.
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N50
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Obverse of N50
On the bottom right section of the obverse of the N50 banknote is the unique serial number.
There is a transparent window located just above the serial number on the obverse of the N50 banknote.
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Reverse of N50
There is a see-through image on the left side of the back of the N50 banknote, just above the 50 numeral.
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N100 Commemorative Banknote
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Obverse of N100
You’ll find the unique serial number of the banknote at the top-right section of the N100 banknote. The horizontal serial number is conical, that is, it grows in height from left to right.
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Reserve of N100
There is a see-through image on the middle-right section of the N100 banknote, located just beside the image of the lady on the banknote.
You’ll also see a Quick Response (QR) code, which is located almost in the middle of the reverse of the N100 banknote.
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N200
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Obverse of N200
On the right side of the obverse of the N200 banknote, just below the ‘N200’ is the serial number.
Also, you’d notice that a holographic security thread runs vertically from the top to bottom of the obverse of the N200 banknote, almost in the middle of the banknote.
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Reverse of N200
On the middle-right section of the reverse of the N200 banknote, you’ll see the continuity design.
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N500
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Obverse of N500
The serial number is on the right side of the N500 banknote.
There is also the holographic security thread that runs vertically across the banknote.
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Reverse of N500
The visible security feature on the reverse of the N500 banknote is the continuity design which is in the middle-right section.
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N1000
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Reserve of N1000
A see-through Image resembling a circle divided into four parts is visible at the middle-top section of the N1000 banknote. There is also a metallic thread on the right side of the banknote that runs vertically from top to down. Also, you’ll see a semi-transparent ink with a nacreous glitter in the section under the ‘Central Bank of Nigeria’.
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How to Identify Fake Naira Notes by Feeling the Banknote
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N5
On the obverse of the N5 banknote, you’ll feel tactile marks by running your fingers over the rhombus shape on the top-left corner of the banknote.
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N10
On the obverse of the N10 banknote, you’ll feel tactile marks by running your fingers over the square shape on the top-left corner of the banknote.
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N20
On the obverse of the N20 banknote, you’ll feel tactile marks by running your fingers over the circle shape on the top-left corner of the banknote.
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N50
Running your fingers over the triangle on the top-left corner of the observe of the N50, you’ll feel tactile marks.
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N100 Commemorative Banknote
On the obverse of the N100 banknote, there is an intaglio raised print on the left eyebrow brow of the portrait of Chief Obafemi Awolowo. You’ll also feel tactile marks by running your fingers over three black lines on the edge of the right side of the banknote.
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N200
On the obverse of the N200 banknote, running your fingers over the turban of the portrait of Alhaji Ahmadu Bello, you’ll feel the intaglio-raised print. Furthermore, you’ll feel the lift twin on the bottom left corner of the banknote.
On the reverse of the N200 banknote, you’ll feel the intaglio raised print on the front leg of the image of a bigger cow on the banknote.
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N500
On the top-right corner of the N500 banknote, you’ll find an intaglio raised print by running your finger over the ‘N’ sign on the top right corner, as well as the forehead of Nnamdi Azikiwe’s portrait.
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N1000
On the top section of the obverse of the N1000 banknote, you’ll feel the raised print by running your fingers over the ‘Central Bank of Nigeria’. You’ll also feel intaglio-raised prints on the portraits of Alhaji Aliyu Mai Bornu and Dr Clement Isong.
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How to Identify Fake Naira Banknotes by Tilting the Banknote
You can also determine if a naira banknote is genuine or not by tilting the banknote. Let’s consider what these security features on the naira banknotes you’d notice by tilting the banknote:
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Lower Denominations (N5, N10, N20, N50)
On the reverse of the lower denominations of the naira banknotes, there’s a security feature called the G-switch, which changes its colour when the banknotes are tilted. The G-switch is on the bottom left of the banknotes, just above the numeral of the respective lower naira denominations.
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N100
On the obverse of the N100 banknote, there’s an electrotype watermark feature on the right side, and if the banknote is tilted, you’ll see the image of the portrait. There is also a motion thread embedded on the banknote that appears as green dashes, but when tilted, you see ‘100’ and the Nigerian flag moving.
Furthermore, on the obverse, there’s the Optical Variable Magnetic Ink (OVMI), a rolling bar that changes colour from green to purple when tilted.
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N200
On the obverse of the N200 banknote, the electrotype watermark feature is on the right side. When tilted, you’ll see the image of the portrait in the electrotype watermark.
On the bottom of the obverse, there is the Optical Variable Ink (OVI) which changes colour depending on how the banknote is tilted.
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N500
On the obverse of the N500, there’s an electrotype watermark feature which shows the Image of the portrait of Nnamdi Azikiwe when tilted.
On the bottom right corner of the obverse, there’s an Optical Variable Ink on the ‘500’ which changes colour when tilted.
Also, there’s the lift twin feature on the bottom left of the N500 banknote.
- N1000
The features on the N1000 banknotes that you discover by tilting the banknote include the electrotype watermark on the right side, the Optical Variable Ink (OVI) on the inverted triangle which is beside the portrait of Dr Clement Isong, as well as the kinegram which is at the bottom right corner of the obverse.
With the features of the genuine naira banknotes we’ve discussed above, you can now know what to look out for if you suspect a counterfeit is in your hands.
Note; observe means the front of the banknote while reverse means the back of the banknote.