CBN Debunks Viral Fake N5,000 Tinubu Note and Okoya Polaris Bank Rumors

By Ifeyinwa Ike

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has declared a viral social media image of a supposed ₦5,000 note featuring President Bola Tinubu as fake.

In a Thursday post on its X account, the apex bank urged the public to disregard the image and dismissed speculation about a new note design. “This content is fake. Let the public be guided,” the statement read.

The clarification followed widespread sharing of the image, with some users claiming it was an official CBN sample.

In related news, the CBN also debunked claims that billionaire Razaq Okoya plans to buy Polaris Bank after its alleged failure to meet recapitalization rules.

A viral X post had suggested Okoya bid for the bank, awaiting approval from the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) and shareholders to restore compliance.

The CBN rejected this outright: “This content is fake. Let the public be guided. The Nigerian Banking System is Safe and Secure.”