Yes — spraying money is technically illegal in Nigeria. Spraying naira notes, stepping or dancing on them, or defacing them is an offence under Section 21 of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Act 2007, punishable by at least six months imprisonment, a fine of not less than ₦50,000, or both. For decades nobody enforced it. Then in 2024 the EFCC started prosecuting, and one celebrity going to prison changed the mood at every owambe. Here's the honest tension: spraying money is the beating heart of Nigerian celebration culture. The DJ calls your name, the cash rains down, someone films it for Instagram — that's the moment. But the law that's always been on the books is now being enforced, and "everyone does it" is no longer a defence that works in court. This guide explains exactly what the law says, who's actually been jailed, and how to spray at your wedding without ending up as the EFCC's next headline.
Spraying money isn't going anywhere — it's too central to how Nigerians celebrate. But the era of grinding cash into the floor for a viral clip is over, and pretending the law doesn't exist is how you become the next cautionary headline. Keep the moment, lose the risk: catch the cash, box it, or hand it over, and never let anyone dance on the notes. Your celebrant still feels the love, and the EFCC has nothing to film. [Browse verified event planners on ElitePlanners.ng](/browse-planners) who can run a smooth, classy money moment, or [use our Event Cost Calculator](/cost-calculator) to plan your celebration. Related reading: [Modern owambe trends 2026](/blog/modern-owambe-trends-2026) · [How to plan an owambe on a budget](/blog/how-to-plan-owambe-on-budget) · [Average Nigerian wedding cost 2026](/blog/nigerian-wedding-cost-2026)