Naira Rises 2.5% on Dollar at Official Market, Slides at Parallel FX Market

The Naira appreciated on the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Thursday, November 7, as the local currency sold for N1,639.50/$1.

This happened as improved supply boosted the rate as the market faced heavy illiquidity.

At the official market, the domestic currency recorded a 2.51 per cent or N42.15 drop compared to the N1,681.65/$1 it was valued at the previous session on Wednesday.

This occurred as supply rose at the session as turnover published on the FMDQ Group website stood at $244.96 million indicating that the session’s turnover climbed by 24.5 per cent, indicating that there was an increase of 48.18 million compared to $196.78 million which was published the day (Wednesday).

Since the administration of President Bola Tinubu came into power, the Naira has fallen 72 percent. This is largley due to illiquidity in the FX market has led to volatile outcomes for the Naira despite the country recording high fixed-income yields and the local currency getting interventions from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Also, the domestic currency witnessed gains against the British currency and the Euro in the week’s penultimate session.

On the Pound Sterling, the local currency made a rise of N8.94 to wrap the session at N2,160.43/£1 from N2,169.37/£1 that it sold at the previous session and against the Euro, the Nigerian currency closed at N1,796.61/€1 versus N1,819.86/€1, indicating an N23.25 appreciation.

In the parallel market, the local currency weakened further against the US Dollar and the Canadian Dollar but made gains against the Pound Sterling and  the Euro.

The Naira lost N5.75 against the greenback to close at N1,721.48 to the US Dollar compared to N1,715.73/$1 it closed on Wednesday.

Against the Canadian Dollar as it depreciated further by 63 Kobo to close at N1,231.86 per Canadian Dollar, compared to the midweek’s N1,231.23 per CAD.

On the English currency, there was rise of N4.42 to wrap the session at N2,215.37/£1 from N2,219.79/£1 and it appreciated N11.81 on the Euro to quote at N1,848.28/€1 versus the previous day’s rate of N1,860.09/€1.