5 Nigerian Naira Paper Banknote (Tafawa Balewa Type 1979)

5 Naira Naira (Issued 1979-1984)

The Central Bank of Nigeria, established in 1958 and operational from 1959, served as the sole authority responsible for issuing and managing Nigeria’s national currency throughout the post-independence era. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, the bank oversaw a significant expansion of the Naira note series, introducing higher denominations to meet the demands of a growing oil-driven economy. This Expansion Issue of 1979 to 1984 represented a deliberate step by the Central Bank to modernise Nigeria’s monetary infrastructure and affirm national identity through portraiture and cultural imagery. The notes produced during this period carry the institutional weight of a central bank consolidating its authority during one of Nigeria’s most economically consequential decades.

On the front, the dominant feature is a finely engraved portrait of Alhaji Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Nigeria’s first and only Federal Prime Minister, positioned to the left of centre against a lightly tinted background. The portrait is rendered with considerable engraving detail, capturing the texture of his traditional embroidered robe and the white cap characteristic of northern Nigerian dress, with his name and dates printed beneath the image in small serif lettering. The overall colour palette of the obverse is a blend of olive green, pale yellow-green, and soft lavender, with deep green used prominently for the denomination numerals and security-style rosette patterns. Large stylised “₦5” numerals appear on both the left and right sides of the note, each set within intricately worked guilloché circular patterns of layered green engraving. The words “FIVE NAIRA” are printed centrally in bold green lettering beneath the issuing authority name “CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA”, which runs across the top of the note in prominent green capital letters. A serial number, reading G/82 748774, appears twice — once at the upper right and again at the lower left — printed in red. Two facsimile signatures are printed along the lower portion of the note, attributed to the Governor and the Director of Domestic Operations, with “GOVERNOR” and “DIRECTOR OF DOMESTIC OPERATIONS” printed in small capitals beneath each respective signature. The background features delicate multicoloured guilloché latticework incorporating pale pink, green, and cream tones, adding depth and anti-counterfeiting complexity to the design.

The reverse of the note is dominated by a detailed intaglio-style engraving rendered in teal and blue-green tones, depicting a group of traditional Nigerian dancers in animated movement, dressed in ceremonial attire with elaborate headdresses and body ornamentation. The figures are engraved with considerable dynamism, their postures suggesting active performance, and the scene is rendered against a lightly patterned background that reinforces the cultural theme of the design. To the left of centre sits a large circular guilloché frame bearing the text “CENTRAL BANK OF NIGERIA” in an arc around its perimeter, with the Nigerian national coat of arms — featuring an eagle above a shield with a black chevron and two white lines — engraved below the circle. The denomination “FIVE NAIRA” is printed in bold teal lettering along the bottom centre of the reverse. “₦5” denomination markers appear in the upper left and upper right corners, again set within detailed circular engraving patterns. Along both the left and right margins, vertical panels display interlocking geometric and scroll-like patterns in terracotta red and teal, providing strong visual framing to the note’s reverse composition. The upper portion of the reverse features a band of fine serpentine line engraving above the central scene, adding further texture and security complexity to the overall design.

Exchange foreign coins and notes with no fuss: Webuyallcurrency.com accepts this 5 Naira banknote and other old or withdrawn Nigerian Naira banknotes, paying out for everything together in a single transaction.

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From leftover holiday money to inherited collections, Webuyallcurrency.com will exchange or buy your Nigerian Naira banknotes and other foreign currency, handling old and withdrawn pieces in the same simple process.

Other Nigerian Naira you can exchange: 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000.