Naira Weakens to N1,635/$1 at NAFEM, Sells N1,681/$1 at Black Market

The Naira depreciated against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEX) on Monday, October 7 to N1,635.15/$1.

Analysis done by Investors King showed that the local currency lost 0.24 percent or N3.94 at the specialised window, according to data obtained from the FMDQ Securities Exchange.

This is compared to N1,631.21/$1 published in the preceding session on Friday.

This coincided with a drop in the turnover on Monday as secondary data showed an aggregate of $126.24 million on record, compared to the $239.36 million turnover reported on Friday.

This represents a drop of $113.12 million or 47.3 percent.

Last week, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) announced that it sold $543.5 million to authorised dealers and deposit money banks (DMBs) to reduce observed market volatility caused by demand from importers and seasoned demand for FX between September 6 and 30, 2024.

According to a statement issued by Omolara Duke, the Director of Financial Markets Department of the CBN, the transaction was through a two-way quote at the Nigeria Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) on 11 dealing days.

In a different pattern, the local currency closed flat against the Pound Sterling and appreciated on the Euro at the week’s opening session.

Trading against the British pound, the local currency closed at N2,175.44/£1 while it closed at the rate of N1,788.96 per Euro, a gain of N41.15 from N1,830.11.

The Naira also dropped against the US Dollar at the unofficial black market as it closed at N1,681.67 from N1,676.56 quoted on Friday. This signified a N5.11.

It followed the same pattern against the Pound Sterling and the Euro trading at N2,156.23/£1 and N1,852.75/€1 respectively, losing N2.40 and 60 Kobo from N2,153.83/£1 and N1,852.15/€1.

The local currency also declined by N5.37 on the Canadian Dollar as it fell to N1,207.55/CAD1 from N1,202.18/CAD1