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Nigerian Naira Plummets Against US Dollar Amidst Foreign Exchange Market Changes

Surge in Dollar Demand Causes Naira to Decline by 16%
Forex Scarcity and $3.7 Billion LCs Matured Exacerbate Naira Depreciation
Central Bank of Nigeria Introduces New Forex Measures, Consolidates Segments

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Naira Exchange Rates - Investors King

The Nigerian Naira closed lower against the United States Dollar on Monday as both international and local investors tried to wrap their heads around a series of changes taking place in the foreign exchange market and the economy at large.

The local currency declined by 16 percent to N770.38 to a United Dollar in the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window, largely due to the surge in demand for the greenback. In the parallel market, popularly known as the black market, the naira appreciated to N757 per dollar.

Currency traders attributed the depreciation in Naira value to the increase in Dollar demand to over $3.7 billion in matured Letters of Credit (LCs). The situation is aggravated by a shortage of supply as the designated window has not witnessed significant forex inflows since the reintroduction of the willing seller, willing buyer model by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The development in the I&E window follows the new forex measures announced by the CBN on Wednesday.

Announcing the new measures in a statement titled, “Operational Changes to the Foreign Exchange Market”, Director, Financial Markets, Dr. Angela Sere-Ejembi, said, “The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) wishes to inform all authorized dealers and the general public of the following immediate changes to operations in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange (FX) Market:

“Abolishment of segmentation. All segments are now collapsed into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. Applications for medicals, school fees, BTA/PTA, and SMEs would continue to be processed through deposit money banks.

“Re-introduction of the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model at the I&E Window. Operations in this window shall be guided by the extant circular on the establishment of the window, dated 21 April 2017 and referenced FMD/DIR/CIR/GEN/08/007. All eligible transactions are permitted to access foreign exchange at this window.

“The operational rate for all government-related transactions shall be the weighted average rate of the preceding day’s executed transactions at the I&E window, calculated to two (2) decimal places.

“Proscription of trading limits on oversold FX positions with permission to hedge short positions with Over-The Counter-futures. Limits on overbought positions shall be zero.

“Re-introduction of order-based two-way quotes, with bid-ask spread of N1. All transactions shall be cleared by a Central Counter Party (CCP).

“Reintroduction of Order Book to ensure transparency of orders and seamless execution of trades.

“The operational hours of trades shall be from 9am to 4pm, Nigeria time.

“Cessation of RT200 Rebate Scheme and the Naira4Dollar Remittance Scheme, with effect from 30 June 2023.
“Further guidance on these matters shall be communicated in due course. All market participants and the general public are kindly enjoined to abide by these rules.”

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Naira

Naira Declines Further as Exchange Rate Hits N980 on Black Market

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Nigeria’s economic woes seem to be deepening as the Naira continues its steep decline, reaching N980 against the US Dollar on the black market.

This alarming depreciation has sent shockwaves through the nation, raising questions about the stability of the country’s financial system and the effects of Naira devaluation.

However, as the Nigerian Naira continued to decline against its global counterparts, cryptocurrency attraction surged across the country.

According to a recent report by Chainalysis, Naira devaluation in 2022 has driven cryptocurrency transaction volume to $56.7 billion year-on-year, defying the Central Bank of Nigeria’s ban on crypto-related activities in the banking sector.

While the ban, implemented in February 2021, was expected to limit cryptocurrency transactions in the country and compel Nigerians to make payments using the central bank’s channels, more Nigerians continue to jump on cryptocurrency. Making Nigeria the second-highest crypto adopter.

Commenting on the report, Chainalysis said, “These dynamics are reflected in the data. Interest in Bitcoin and stablecoins has generally risen as the Naira’s value has decreased, particularly during the most recent extremely steep drops in June and July of 2023.”

The firm attributes Nigeria’s growing crypto economy to citizens seeking to preserve the value of their savings amidst rising inflation and debt. It also points out that crypto adoption may be a solution to Nigeria’s economic challenges, which have been exacerbated by political instability, the COVID-19 pandemic, and plummeting oil prices.

As Nigeria grapples with its currency’s decline, the crypto market offers a glimmer of hope. Despite regulatory constraints, Nigerians are turning to cryptocurrencies to secure their financial future, creating a unique financial landscape where digital assets thrive in the face of traditional currency devaluation.

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Naira

Naira Gains Against Dollar in Official Market as Black Market Surge to N960/$1

Black Market Sees Dollar Surge to N960/$1

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New Naira Notes

The Nigerian naira showed resilience in the official foreign exchange market, gaining against the US dollar while the black market witnessed an unexpected surge.

The official market witnessed a significant boost as the naira’s value appreciated by 2.96 percent, marking a positive development for the nation’s economy.

According to data obtained from FMDQ Exchange, the dollar’s price plummeted by N23.09, closing at N756.91/$1, compared to the N780/$1 rate reported just the day before. Investors and traders in the official window engaged in active trading, with the dollar reaching a high of N804.14/$1 and a low of N720/$1.

Surprisingly, despite the drop in the dollar’s value, authorized dealers and their clients recorded $45.88 million in foreign exchange transactions. However, this figure marked a noticeable decline of $23.86 million, representing a 34.21 percent decrease from the previous trading session of $69.74 million.

Meanwhile, the black market depicted a contrasting picture, with the dollar’s rate surging to an astonishing N960/$1, as reported by AbokiFX.

This sudden rise of N5 from the previous day’s N955/$1 left many in the financial market astounded.

In parallel developments, the naira also gained against the British pound, closing at N1220/£1, a N10 increase from the previous day’s N1210/£1.

Similarly, the European currency, the euro, saw an appreciation of N10, reaching N1015/€1, compared to Thursday’s N1005/€1 rate.

The simultaneous trends in the official and black markets underscore the volatility of the foreign exchange market in Nigeria and the challenges faced by policymakers in maintaining stability.

As traders and investors closely monitor these developments, the central bank’s interventions and market dynamics will continue to shape the exchange rate landscape in the days to come.

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Naira

Naira’s Slide Continues: Hits 950/$ at Parallel Market Amid Calls for Digital Autonomy

Bureau de Change Operators Concerned as Naira Depreciates Further; ABCON Urges Central Bank to Embrace Digital Transformation

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The Nigerian naira experienced a further depreciation against the US dollar on Wednesday at the parallel market as it closed at N950 to a US Dollar.

This downturn follows Tuesday’s closing rate of 930/$, causing unease among Bureau de Change (BDC) operators and the broader financial community.

BDC operators, who are at the forefront of currency exchange transactions, expressed their concerns over the naira’s recent erratic behavior. On Wednesday, the naira was being bought and sold at rates between 935/$ and 950/$, reflecting the currency’s increasing volatility.

Yusuf Kareem, a BDC operator, lamented the scarcity of the naira and the unexplained fluctuations in its value, saying, “We commenced trading at 930/$ in the morning and it closed at 950/$ in the evening. The naira has been scarce; we don’t know what is happening.”

Sanusi Ibrahim, another BDC operator, echoed these sentiments, saying, “The naira was bought and sold at 935/$ and 950/$ today. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow.”

Amid this financial turbulence, the Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has made a compelling call to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). They are urging the CBN to grant Bureaux De Change operators digital autonomy to facilitate exchange rate convergence and stabilize the market.

In a statement issued by the President of ABCON, Dr. Aminu Gwadabe, he underscores the importance of this digital transformation, stating that it could “promote rate convergence, curb volatility in the market, and promote economic growth.”

Dr. Gwadabe further pointed out that ABCON had previously played a crucial role in achieving rate convergence in various periods from 2006 to 2020.

Granting digital autonomy to BDC operators, according to Dr. Gwadabe, would lead to the discovery of a true market rate, enhance the implementation of the Federal Government’s harmonized foreign exchange rate policies, and enable effective monitoring of BDCs’ transactions to meet statutory and regulatory requirements.

The recent depreciation of the naira and the calls for digital transformation have raised questions about the stability of Nigeria’s currency and the steps needed to ensure its resilience in the face of economic challenges. As the nation watches anxiously, the future of the naira and the actions of the Central Bank remain topics of intense scrutiny and debate.

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