10 Nigerian Naira Paper Banknote (Alvan Ikoku Type 1979)

10 Naira (Issued 1979–1984)

In Nigeria during the late 1970s and early 1980s, a ten Naira note represented a meaningful sum in everyday commerce, capable of covering a day’s market shopping, a modest meal, or short-distance transport for an ordinary working family. The Expansion Issue of 1979–1984 coincided with Nigeria’s oil boom years, a period of rapid economic growth and ambitious national development, when the Naira carried genuine purchasing weight. These notes circulated widely among traders, civil servants, and rural communities alike, passing through markets, government offices, and roadside stalls across the country. Today, they stand as a tangible record of Nigeria’s post-independence monetary ambition.

On the front, the note is dominated by a finely engraved portrait of Alvan Ikoku (1900–1971), the celebrated Nigerian educator, nationalist, and political figure, whose name and dates are printed clearly beneath the portrait in small serif lettering. Ikoku is depicted in a formal suit and tie, wearing round-framed spectacles, rendered with considerable engraving detail that captures the texture of his clothing and the character of his features. The overall colour palette of the front is a warm rose-pink and mauve, with the portrait set against a light ground framed by intricate guilloché patterns that form decorative circular motifs to the right of centre. The denomination appears prominently in multiple locations: the stylised Naira symbol with the numeral 10 is printed in deep violet at the upper left, lower left, and within the large ornate circular design to the right. At the very top of the note, the issuing authority is clearly stated in bold capital lettering: CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA. The words TEN NAIRA are printed centrally in bold type. A serial number, C/38 617268, appears in red at both the upper right and lower left of the note. Below the portrait, a band of Arabic script is visible, rendered in dark ink. Two facsimile signatures appear at the base of the note, labelled GOVERNOR and DIRECTOR OF DOMESTIC OPERATIONS respectively. The borders of the note feature repeating geometric and interlocking decorative patterns in pink and mauve tones, consistent with the security printing conventions of the era.

The reverse of the note is printed predominantly in deep rose-pink and mauve tones, presenting a vivid scene of Nigerian market women as the central vignette. Three women are depicted in traditional dress, two of whom balance large bowls or trays upon their heads, a common image of everyday commerce and cultural life in Nigeria. The figures are rendered with fine line engraving, with detailed attention given to their clothing, postures, and the objects they carry. To the left of the central scene, a large circular guilloché watermark area is inscribed along its perimeter with CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA in curved lettering, with a small Nigerian coat of arms visible at the base of this circle. The denomination ₦10 appears at the upper left and upper right corners in the same stylised Naira format as the front. At the bottom centre of the reverse, the words TEN NAIRA are printed in bold capital letters. The borders repeat the geometric interlocking decorative pattern seen on the front, with a square lattice motif visible at the right margin, framing the composition consistently with the design language of the wider Expansion Issue series.

This 10 Naira banknote can be exchanged through Webuyallcurrency.com, where old or withdrawn Nigerian Naira banknotes are bought alongside other foreign currency — ideal for clearing a drawer of mixed coins and notes at once.

• Indicate the quantity of 10 Naira Naira banknotes you want to exchange
• Click the ‘Add to your account’ button
• Your online account now shows the exchange value

If you have leftover currency to exchange, Webuyallcurrency.com accepts Nigerian Naira banknotes and a wide range of other foreign coins and notes, paying out for the lot in a single straightforward transaction.

Other Nigerian Naira you can exchange: 5, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000.