In a corner of Lagos, Nigeria, a man is preparing to hand over ₦35,000 in exchange for ₦20,000 in new notes. He is not being robbed; he is preparing for a party.
Today, participating in one of Nigeria's most well-known celebratory rituals requires such an expense. As the music plays and the audience gathers at the edge of the dance floor, bills are thrown towards the person being celebrated.
This tradition is deeply rooted in the culture, complete with its own name, music, and dance.
Nawo is a Nigerian startup dedicated to digitizing the spraying experience, and founder Adeola Adebayor believes they have found a solution to this phenomenon. He states that he has been contemplating this issue for nearly a decade, even before most people recognized it.
Adeola proposed an idea in 2016 called E-Money, a digital spraying application inspired by the celebrity E-Money and the popular money gun culture in Lagos party scenes.
His concept was: “What if you could spray cash through your phone?” digitizing the act without losing the traditional spirit. However, after reflecting on the idea, he decided to put it on hold for the time being.
Because the timing was not right. Nigerians were not seeking alternatives, as traditional methods were still functioning well. Thus, the idea, like many immature concepts, quietly waited.
It weathered the years of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) currency redesign and the impact of the #DontAbuseNaira movement, which began to view spraying as disrespectful rather than celebratory. The awkwardness of EFCC officials appearing at parties and the slow, painful realization that the new currency was gradually becoming a black market also accumulated during this waiting period.
By 2023, the CBN took action. The currency redesign and the subsequent restrictions not only inconvenienced partygoers but also interrupted the continuity of the culture.
People suddenly found themselves pondering whether they should stop doing what they had always participated in during every owambe, every wedding, and every birthday celebration.
Functionally, Nawo is a digital spraying platform that allows users to send money to the honoree during events, accompanied by animations mimicking the fluttering of cash.
A video released by his team showcasing the flying cash received 206,000 views. But these views were not merely due to the technology; they stemmed from recognition. Nigerian netizens in the comments were not marveling at the clever application but were asking where they could use it.
In traditional owambe celebrations, the flying cash changes the atmosphere of the room. People dance more energetically, and the energy is almost palpable. Friends compete with one another, and the honoree feels the attention and generosity of everyone.
However, simply relying on a phone screen cannot automatically create this atmosphere. Adebayor does not harbor any illusions about this.
He described the structural changes that digitization inevitably introduces.