Shortage In Foreign Exchange As Naira Falls to N595 Against U.S. Dollar

Amid the scarcity of Foreign Exchange (Forex) in the country, the Nigerian Naira on Monday extended its decline to N595 against the United States Dollar on the parallel market, popularly known as the Black market.

An analysis by Investors King revealed that last week, the Naira exchanged at N590 to a U.S. Dollar on Thursday on the black market before dropping in value to N595 on Friday, the same rate it exchanged on Monday. However, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has warned against patronising that section of forex.

In 2021, the CBN stopped allocating forex to Bureau de change operators after accusing them of aiding illegal forex flows, hoarding, and speculation. All forex allocations were then appropriated to the Deposit Money Banks (DMBs), presently being accused of the same things.

To plug forex leakages and challenges, the apex bank once again declared that it will stop appropriating forex to DMBs by the end of 2022 to spur its $200 billion forex repatriation program (RT200 FX Programme).

At the 2021 Banker’s Committee, the CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele announced the ‘RT200 FX Programme, which aims to increase forex inflow into the country from non-oil sources over the next three to five years.

“After serious consideration of the various possibilities, the CBN is launching the Banker’s committee ‘RT200 FX programme’, which represents the ‘Race to $200 billion FX repatriation’, ‘effective immediately, based on available choices and extensive engagement with the financial community”, Emefiele had said.

The RT200 program is a set of policies, strategies, and programs for non-oil exports that will allow Nigeria to achieve its ambitious but doable objective of $200 billion in FX repatriation, from non-oil exports over the next three to five years.