The Naira continues its decline against global counterparts as the local currency exchanged at N1005 to a British Pound Sterling on Sunday at the black market.
Against the United States Dollar, the Nigerian Naira traded at about N815 while a unit of Euro common currency was exchanged at N870 to a Naira.
At the interbank forex section, the Nigerian Naira slid to N440.26 against the United States Dollar and dipped marginally against the Euro common currency to N431.2787. Naira, however, appreciated against the Pound to N493.2673.
International Monetary Fund (IMF) and other multilateral financial institutions have said the huge difference between the black market and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) managed interbank section is the bane of Nigeria’s currency racketeering.
In October 2021, Vice President Osibanjo explained why the forex differential is the reason why Nigeria continues to struggle with low capital importation and investment.
According to him, “As for the exchange rate, I think we need to move our rates to [be] as reflective of the market as possible. This, in my own respective view, is the only way to improve supply,” the vice president said.
“We can’t get new dollars into the system, where the exchange rate is artificially low. And everyone knows by how much our reserves can grow. I’m convinced that the demand management strategy currently being adopted by the CBN needs a rethink, and that is just my view.
“Anyway, all those are issues that when the CBN governor has time to address, he will be able to address in full.”
Crude Oil
Crude oil opened lower on Monday following reports that China is planning to up COVID-19 restrictions in an effort to curb the rising number of victims.
Brent crude oil, the international benchmark for Nigerian type of oil, has since pared losses to $98.66 a barrel at 11:20 am, up from $97 it opened when the news of Chinese Covid-19 was made public.