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Nigeria Naira now among worst performing currencies globally
While officially, Nigeria’s naira can be said to be doing well this year, down just 4 per cent against a strong US dollar, ahead of the Canadian dollar and the Swiss franc, a Bloomberg report has said it remains one of the worst performing worldwide.
The report said that is only a small part of the story because the official exchange rate is used only by the government and the well heeled while ordinary Nigerians are suffocating under a 37 per cent drop on the widely-used black market, which most have accepted as a better measure for the local currency.
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“That makes it one of the world’s worst-performing currencies, after Ghana’s cedi, which is down nearly 55 per cent this year, and the Sri Lankan Rupee,” Bloomberg said.
Its peers, the report said, include Sierra Leone’s currency, which is down 36 per cent, and the Egyptian pound, which has lost 35 per cent, according to Bloomberg.
Africa’s largest economy operates a tightly controlled official rate but it’s in the parallel market where the exchange rate of the local currency is largely determined by the level of demand for the dollar.
Businesses and ordinary Nigerians are feeling the pain. The Naira volatility is the single largest contributor to the surge in inflation which is ravaging the economy, taking prices of virtually everything to the top and causing considerable concern ahead of the year end festivities.
Rice the staple now cost N51,000 a bag, and flight ticket fares are now well out of the reach of most of the people, the report added.
Nigeria’s central bank rations dollars at the official rate, cutting off access to many businesses and individuals, which in turn drives demand to the unauthorized black market.
This has led to a widening gap between the managed and parallel markets to more than 90 per cent.
While the naira officially closed at 442.75 to the dollar on Friday, currency traders on the streets of Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial hub, quoted the greenback at N890, according Umar Salisu, a bureau de change operator who tracks the data and quoted by Bloomberg.
The local unit’s drop in the black market started a day after the central bank announced last week that it will issue redesigned 200-, 500- and 1,000-naira notes from mid-December in a bid to mop up excess cash in circulation.
The Abuja-based regulator gave Nigerians until January 31 to exchange the existing bills for new ones, a tight deadline considering that the central bank estimates that as much as N2.7 trillion ($6.1 billion) sits outside bank vaults.
Africa’s most populous country has an average of 4.5 bank branches per 100,000 people and 45 per cent of adults don’t have a bank account.
The naira’s slump is likely to continue in the near term given low oil revenue and rising outflows due to uncertainties associated with February’s presidential election, said Uche
Uwaleke, a professor of finance and capital markets at the Nasarawa State University in central Nigeria. The dollar is seen as a safe haven, he said.
“It’s evident that a lot of currency substitution is going on as many people now see the greenback as a better store of value,” Uwaleke added.
President Bola Tinubu, on Tuesday arrived in Katsina to receive the remains of the former President Muhammadu Buhari, who passed away in London on Sunday at the age of 82.
Just hours before the burial of former President Muhammadu Buhari, heartfelt tributes have continued to pour in from beneficiaries of his many charitable deeds, with many describing him as a man who never turned his back on the needy.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday, Aminu Daura, a respected community elder, recalled how Buhari consistently provided foodstuffs during Ramadan for families, friends, widows, and orphans in his hometown.
“He never made noise about it, but many homes had food on their tables during fasting period because of him,” Daura said.
Abdullahi Sani, a physically-challenged man who received a tricycle from the Buhari Foundation in 2021, was overcome with emotion while speaking to NAN.
“I can move around and feed my family today because of Baba Buhari. I pray to Allah to reward him for giving hope to people like me,” he said, in tears.
Hajiya Fatima Yahaya, another resident, remembered Buhari’s acts of kindness during festive seasons.
“Even after he left office, his aides ensured that the usual support still reached us every year. He always remember his people,” she said, referring to his distribution of Sallah rams and food items to indigent families during Eid celebrations.
Other residents of Daura also shared memories of how the late former president quietly paid school fees and medical bills for struggling families, actions rarely publicized.
“Some of us benefited from his silent interventions. He was a true father and a great figure in the society,” said Ali Saidu.
On Monday night, Imams across various mosques in Daura held special Qur’anic recitations, praying for the forgiveness of Buhari’s sins and his eternal peace.
The Chief Imam of Daura Central Mosque, Sheikh Musa Kofar Barau, described Buhari as a humble leader whose legacy of service and compassion would remain alive in the hearts of the people.
Buhari is scheduled to be buried later on Tuesday in his hometown of Daura, Katsina State, in line with Islamic rites. The community is bracing to welcome thousands of mourners from across Nigeria and beyond.
His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco has extended heartfelt condolences to President Bola Tinubu, the family of the late former President Muhammadu Buhari, and the entire Nigerian people following Buhari’s death.
In a message of sympathy, the Moroccan monarch described the passing of the former Nigerian leader as a “sad occurrence,” expressing deep sorrow over the loss.
King Mohammed VI hailed Buhari as “an illustrious leader who worked untiringly to serve his country’s best interests and lead his people toward further progress and prosperity.”
He added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with you and the bereaved. I share your grief and want you to know how much I appreciated the working sessions I had with the deceased.”
Reflecting on their bilateral engagements, the king noted that his collaboration with Buhari led to the launch of promising development projects, “ushering a new era grounded in friendship and close cooperation between our two sister nations.”
Tinubu arrives Katsina to receive Buhari’s body for burial
“He Never Turned His Back on the Needy” — Tributes Pour In Ahead of Buhari’s Burial
King Mohammed VI Mourns Buhari, Praises Legacy of Nigeria’s Former Leader
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