Today, July 4, 2024, the Naira continues its decline against the US dollar. According to data from the FMDQ Security Exchange, the official forex trading portal, the Naira opened at ₦1509.52 per $1 on Tuesday and closed at ₦1512.61 per $1 on Wednesday. The black market shows even higher rates, with the Naira trading at ₦1510 per dollar, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) efforts to unify the foreign exchange market.
In a bid to streamline the foreign exchange market, the CBN issued a circular on June 14, 2023, abolishing segmentation and consolidating all FX windows into the Investors and Exporters (I&E) window. This move reintroduces the “Willing Buyer, Willing Seller” model, guiding all transactions through this window and setting operational rates based on the preceding day’s weighted average rate. Additionally, the CBN has proscribed trading limits on oversold FX positions and reintroduced order-based two-way quotes to ensure transparency and seamless trade execution.
These operational changes indicate a shift towards a free-floating exchange rate system in Nigeria, where the Naira’s value is determined by market forces without central bank intervention. The CBN noted that further guidance would be communicated to authorized dealers and the public, aiming to provide stability and clarity in the foreign exchange market amidst the ongoing economic adjustments.