The Central Bank of Nigeria recently sold U.S. dollars to Bureaux de Change (BDC) at a flat rate of NGN1,450 per greenback. The central bank stated that eligible BDCs can sell the dollars to end-users at a margin of no more than 1.5% above the purchase exchange rate. The Nigerian apex bank disclosed that it…
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An International Monetary Fund representative has cautioned that Zambia’s proposed dedollarization initiative may inadvertently undermine efforts to contain inflation. The representative expressed concern that the prevailing economic conditions in Zambia are not conducive for the country to proceed with the de-dollarization proposals. Zambia Not Ideally Placed to Dedollarize The International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Zambian representative,…
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The Central Bank of Nigeria warned local financial institutions against rejecting older or lower-denomination U.S. dollar banknotes. The apex bank said it will take strong action against financial institutions that refuse to accept mutilated or overcirculated local currency banknotes. Older U.S. Dollar Banknotes Still Legal Tender The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has informed registered…
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In the first half of 2024, the Nigerian currency depreciated by nearly 40%, making it the worst-performing currency during that period. Meanwhile, the Kenyan shilling appreciated by 20.7%, ranking it as the best performer. The depreciation of the Nigerian naira was primarily driven by U.S. dollar shortages. Naira Falls for 9 Straight Days The Nigerian…
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The Central Bank of Nigeria has increased the capital requirements for national bureau de change operators from approximately $24,000 to $1.4 million. The central bank has given operators a six-month period to comply and they must apply for new licenses. The bank’s director for risk management stated that street trading of foreign exchange is now…
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The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has stated that Zimbabwe’s recently introduced gold-backed fiat currency represents a significant policy step. This is the IMF’s first substantial comment on the currency since its inception. The global lender has reportedly announced plans to send a team in June to evaluate the performance of the new currency. Contrasting IMF…
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The Nigerian currency, which has been depreciating against the U.S. dollar in the past few weeks, has completely erased its gains from early April, making it the worst-performing currency in the world. The decline of the naira is attributed to Nigeria’s ongoing foreign exchange shortages. One economist expects the pressure on the currency to peak…
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Zambia’s worsening shortage of foreign exchange as well as one of its worst droughts in recent memory saw the local currency drop to a record low of K27.3 to the dollar. As explained in the report, the kwacha has lost as much as 17% in the past six months. Forex Shortages: The Impact of Drought…
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The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed four fintech companies to cease the creation of new accounts, citing their potential use by cryptocurrency traders. An executive from one of the affected fintech companies has associated the Central Bank’s directive with a current audit of the Know Your Customer (KYC) procedures implemented by these firms. Fintech…
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The Naira recently depreciated by 12% in just seven days, thus shedding all the gains it made against the U.S. dollar in early April. Local media reports attribute the volatile naira’s latest drop to the growing mismatch between the supply and demand of foreign exchange. Demand and Supply Mismatch Just weeks after nearly breaching the…
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