Nigeria’s foreign exchange market saw a slight appreciation of the Naira, as the official exchange rate strengthened to N1,492.49 per dollar on Friday, February 28, 2025, compared to N1,499.07 recorded the previous day. Despite this improvement, black market rates remained high, trading around N1,499 per dollar, highlighting ongoing pressures in the parallel market.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had earlier unified all forex market segments under the Investors & Exporters (I&E) window to enhance transparency and efficiency. The policy shift introduced a “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model, allowing eligible transactions to access forex at market-determined rates. Additionally, trading limits on oversold FX positions were removed, and a bid-ask spread of N1 was introduced to improve market depth.
These reforms signal a move toward a freely floating Naira, where exchange rates are largely determined by market forces. While the CBN continues to provide oversight, the success of this transition will depend on sustained forex inflows, investor confidence, and broader economic stability.