A Ghanaian banking consultant, Richmond Atuahene, has expressed concerns about Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia’s pledge to back the cedi with gold. Atuahene believes Ghana needs a stable economic environment before implementing this policy. John Gatsi, a dean at the University of Cape Coast School of Business, warns that backing the cedi with gold alone will…
Read more
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has issued a warning against the practice of spraying naira notes at social events, emphasizing that it diminishes the dignity of the currency. In a recent post on its official X page, the Nigerian anti-graft agency urged residents to respect the naira and avoid ridiculing it. The EFCC…
Read more
After months of sustained decline, the Nigerian currency has rallied since March and is currently ranked as the best-performing fiat currency in April. Andrew Matheny, an economist at Goldman Sachs, said the naira’s momentum can only be maintained if policymakers do not deviate from their current course. Maintaining the Momentum of the Naira According to…
Read more
The Economic Intelligence Unit has stated that the Central Bank of Nigeria cannot halt the rapid depreciation of the local currency. The continued volatility of the naira is expected to result in erratic regulation, primarily affecting businesses that hold foreign exchange. Nigeria Presses Ahead With Reforms The Economic Intelligence Unit (EIU) has stated that the…
Read more
Authorities in Egypt recently allowed the local currency’s exchange rate versus the U.S. dollar to decrease by more than 60%. Additionally, the central bank raised interest rates by 600 basis points. Both steps were key conditions set by the IMF which Egypt had to meet before the approval of a new financial aid package. IMF…
Read more
In the first month of 2024, Nigeria’s headline inflation rose from nearly one percent to 29.9%. However, on a year-on-year basis, the January 2024 headline inflation rate was 8.08 percentage points higher than the January 2023 rate. Many commentators identify foreign exchange shortages as the root cause of the naira’s poor performance against major currencies.…
Read more
The Nigerian central bank remains committed to building confidence in the economy but that hinges on the implementation of “bold reforms” and residents’ help in easing pressure on the naira. However, critics have faulted the central bank’s policies including the devaluation of the local currency in 2023 for worsening the plight of millions. Ordinary Nigerians…
Read more
The Central Bank of Nigeria announced on Jan. 31 that it had removed caps on naira payout rates that international money transfer operators are allowed to quote. The central bank said the policy change is an effort aimed at further liberalizing the foreign exchange market. The naira’s Feb.1 gain versus major currencies has been attributed…
Read more
The official exchange rate of the Nigerian currency versus the U.S. dollar recently plunged to a record low of 1,248 naira for every greenback. The governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria has told the country’s legislators that he sees the foreign exchange market stabilizing in 2024. Official Rate Nearly Matches the Parallel Market Rate…
Read more
Economist Peter Schiff has warned of an impending collapse of the U.S. dollar even though he sees Fitch’s downgrade of the U.S. rating this week as “meaningless.” While cautioning about a financial crisis and a crash, Schiff emphasized: “Given the trajectory of U.S. government deficit spending, a dollar collapse is inevitable.” Schiff on US Rating…
Read more
