The Bank of Central African States (BEAC), regional Central Bank for the six member states of the Economic and Monetary Community of Central African States (CEMAC), has launched an application to help users easily detect fake banknotes.
“Counterfeiting severely harms the economy and defrauds individuals who fall victim to counterfeiters,” Yvon Sana Bangui, BEAC Governor noted in a statement on July 30, 2025.
The statement goes further to point out that: “As the first line of defense against fake currency, BEAC urges the public and professionals to widely adopt this new app, which complements the bank’s broader measures to ensure trust in its currency”.
The application, called BEAC NG2020, is available on Google Play Store and App Store for android and iPhone users respectively.
The institution said the app helps users to authenticate BEAC’s 2020 series banknotes which are its latest in circulation.
BEAC through the application, expects users to compare the security features on the notes on the app with those found on the physical notes in the hand.
The security features on the app, it said, blends both the aspects that can be seen with the naked eye and those that require ultra violet light.
Basically, to detect a legitimate banknote, users can pass through four paths, per the user guide included in the app and in a statement released by BEAC.
For visual inspection, users, the Bank said, should check the watermark, broken lines, serial number, and security thread.
Tactile inspection entails touching the note to feel elements of raised printing such as denomination, CEMAC (Economic and Monetary Community of Central Africa) logo, BEAC headquarters building, numerical and written value of the note, “Bank of Central African States” inscription and tactile mark for the visually impaired.
The third verification method entails tilting the note. This shows a 3D (three dimensional) motif that shifts colour when tilted and the dynamic security thread bearing “CEMAC”.
Using the ultraviolet light, users can easily locate the CEMAC map appearing in place of the watermark, bicolored fibers and fluorescent scene outlines.
To navigate the app, press the following: UV to view security features under ultra violet light; C to flip the banknote (front/back); + to tilt the banknote; and — to reveal security features and their illustrations.
BEAC issues the Central African CFA franc (XAF) used by the six CEMAC nations viz; Cameroon, Chad, Gabon, Republic of Congo, Central African Republic and Equatorial Guinea.
First published in NewsWatch newspaper No 215 of Monday, August 4, 2025.
