Naira Appreciates Slightly to N1,542.58/$ at NAFEM

The Naira appreciated marginally against the United States dollar, closing at N1,542.58/$ at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Wednesday.

This modest gain represents a 2.9 percent appreciation from the previous day’s rate of N1,598.54, highlighting a nuanced fluctuation in the currency’s value.

According to data sourced from the FMDQ Securities Exchange, a platform overseeing FX trading in Nigeria, the Naira’s journey throughout the trading day was marked by an intra-day high of N1,755 and a low of N1,050.

Moreover, the total foreign exchange turnover surged to $172.14 million, indicating a 47 percent increase from the previous day.

Despite the Naira’s marginal gain at NAFEM, concerns persist regarding the widening gap between the official and parallel market rates.

The Naira’s depreciation to N1,900 against the dollar in the parallel market before it moderated to N1,687 later in the day.

Analysts and Bureau De Change operators foresee further pressure on the Naira, with predictions of a potential all-time low of 2,000/dollar at the parallel market in the coming weeks.

The demand for the greenback continues to fuel volatility, prompting regulatory actions from entities like the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to curb speculative activities.

As stakeholders monitor the currency’s trajectory, the CBN’s efforts to address forex liquidity challenges and stabilize the Naira remain under scrutiny amidst evolving market dynamics.