The Central Bank of Liberia (CBL) has sounded a strong warning to Liberians against the careless handling of the nation's currency, saying the act is draining the economy and damaging national pride.
In a new campaign launched on Saturday, September 19, 2025, the Bank announced that any individual caught deliberately defacing or destroying Liberian banknotes risks paying a fine of L$500,000 or serving two years in prison, as mandated by law.
The campaign's theme, "Our Money, Our Pride," is intended to educate the public about protecting the Liberian dollar while enforcing punitive measures against violators.
The campaign was unveiled at Rally Time Market in Monrovia, one of the busiest commercial hubs in the capital, with hundreds of marketers, motorcyclists, and everyday traders in attendance. The CBL says this market-level engagement was intentional, targeting those sectors where the abuse of money is most visible.
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Speaking at the event, Madam Juah K. Feika, Deputy Director of the Banking Department, explained that Liberia spends millions of dollars printing new banknotes, yet the rate at which they are spoiled is alarmingly high.
"Just in 2022, the government, through the Central Bank, printed a new series of Liberian banknotes. That process cost the country US$25 million. But today, the way we are handling the money, the rate at which it is spoiling, is not good," she told the crowd.
According to Madam Feika, the CBL recently printed L$48.74 billion in new Liberian dollars. Shockingly, within a short period, L$1 billion of those banknotes had already been mutilated or destroyed.
"This is unacceptable. Anytime you print money, you spend money. And when we spend on printing, we are taking money away from teachers' salaries, from road construction, from hospitals, and from development projects. We cannot continue like this," she warned.
Madam Feika underscored that Liberian currency is not just a medium of exchange but a national symbol that represents the country's identity and pride.
"The Liberian dollar should be treated like the Liberian flag. When the flag is raised, we stand in respect. The same way we honor our flag is the way we must honor our money. If we disrespect our currency, foreigners will disrespect it too. Who better to respect the Liberian dollar than Liberians themselves?" she asked.
She explained that when citizens fold, squeeze, write on, or expose money to oil and water, they are showing disregard not only for the banknotes but for the nation itself.
"Market women put money in their bags with oil and fish water. Motorcyclists keep money squeezed between their fingers. People write on money as if it's paper. All of these things are spoiling our currency. That is abuse of our national symbol," she said.
Another major issue highlighted by the Central Bank is the widespread rejection of damaged or torn Liberian dollars in markets and shops.
"Many times, when people see money that is torn, they refuse to accept it. But this is your national currency. If you reject it, what will foreigners do? Do not reject Liberian dollars. If it is torn, take it to the bank. The banks will receive it. And if they refuse, call the Central Bank immediately," Madam Feika instructed.
She cautioned that rejecting the national currency undermines public confidence and weakens Liberia's economy.
The Deputy Banking Director also drew attention to the misuse of coins, which are sometimes melted down for scrap instead of being used for trade.
"Some of us take coins to the foundry and melt them. That is wrong. Coins should only be used as a medium of exchange--to pay for kehkeh rides, buy in the market, or make small transactions. They are not to be destroyed," she emphasized.
The strongest part of the Bank's message was the reminder that defacing or destroying Liberian currency is against the law.
"This is not only a plea--it is the law. If you spoil money and are caught, you will be fined L$500,000 and sentenced to two years in prison. We don't want to see anyone in trouble, but we will enforce the law," Madam Feika declared.
The warning drew murmurs from the crowd; many of whom admitted they had never heard of such a law before. The CBL stressed that awareness is the first step, but enforcement will follow.
"When you respect your money, money will respect you. But if you spoil your money, you are spoiling your country. Let us all leave here committed to this campaign--because our money is our pride."
Earlier, Mr. P. Alphonsus Zeon, Head of Corporate Communications at the CBL, outlined an ambitious outreach strategy designed to reach every Liberian with the Clean Note message.
"We have spoken to the Liberia Marketing Association, and every day announcements will be made in the markets with megaphones. We are also working with motorcyclists, who will carry this message across the country. In total, Liberia has 900 markets, but we will begin with the big ones and move step by step," Zeon explained.
He said CBL will use radio dramas, jingles, talk shows, flyers, and market announcements to reinforce the campaign. The Bank's financial education teams will also travel "from village to village, town to town" to educate citizens directly.
"This is not the end. It's a continuous process. We are going into the counties, the districts, the villages, and the schools. We want every Liberian--from the student to the motorcyclist to the market woman--to understand that spoiling money is spoiling your own economy," Zeon said.
The Central Bank has also partnered with commercial banks, money exchangers, and the Liberia Business Association. Banks will display Clean Note messages on in-hall televisions, distribute flyers, and use tellers to educate customers.
The CBL used the campaign to highlight the broader economic consequences of spoiling money.
"When Liberians abuse their money, it forces the Central Bank to print more, and that comes at a huge cost. That money could be used to pay civil servants, build roads, or fund hospitals. Instead, we are spending millions replacing damaged notes," Madam Feika said.
Zeon added that the ultimate goal is to reduce reliance on cash altogether by encouraging the use of digital financial services such as mobile money, cards, and electronic payments.
"If we reduce the use of cash, we will save money. But for now, we need to keep the cash we have clean," he said.
The CBL specifically targeted groups most responsible for cash handling: market women, motorcyclists, taxi drivers, and small traders.
"Market women, please stop putting money in oily plastic bags. Riders, stop holding money between your fingers while driving. Traders don't write on banknotes. All these things shorten the life of our money," Madam Feika pleaded.
For many in the crowd, the message hit home. Some market women admitted they had never thought about the impact of oil or water on banknotes, while motorcyclists confessed, they often squeezed money tightly while driving.
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At the heart of the campaign is the message of shared responsibility.
"Our money is not just the Central Bank's responsibility. It belongs to all of us. If we keep it clean, we reduce costs, we increase confidence, and we show pride in our nation. This is about respect--for us, for our country, and for our future," Madam Feika concluded.
Liberia has faced recurring cash shortages in recent years, with mutilated notes often circulating in markets and shops. This has created inconvenience for citizens, reduced confidence in the Liberian dollar, and forced the government into repeated rounds of costly reprinting.
The CBL believes that without a cultural shift in how Liberians treat money, the cycle will continue--bleeding scarce resources that should go toward national development.
By linking the cost of printing money to lost opportunities in education, healthcare, and infrastructure, the Bank hopes to make citizens see currency care as a matter of patriotism and economic survival.
The Clean Note Campaign will roll out nationwide over the coming months, beginning with Monrovia's largest markets and extending into the counties. Financial education teams will partner with local chiefs, superintendents, schools, churches, and mosques to spread the message.
"Talk to your children. Talk to your mothers and fathers. Talk to your neighbors. We must all join hands to keep our money clean. This is not just for us--it is for Liberia," Zeon said.
The CBL says the campaign is just the beginning. In the long run, greater adoption of digital payments could reduce the strain on physical banknotes and help Liberia save millions annually.
