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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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 Nigerian central bank said on Oct. 12 that it had lifted foreign exchange restrictions imposed on the importation of 43 items. The central bank said the restrictions initially imposed in 2015 may have contributed to the weakening of the naira on the parallel foreign exchange market. Unifying the Naira’s Multiple Exchange Rates The Central…
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In a recent interview, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development’s (EBRD) chief economist, Beata Javorcik, highlighted a notable trend: Russia’s growing inclination to transact in the Chinese yuan. This shift, the economist emphasized, could challenge the dominance of the U.S. dollar. “[The] increase in the usage of the Chinese currency is coming at the…
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In a lawsuit filed by a Nigerian human rights activist, the country’s central bank is accused of failing to stop the dollarization of the economy. According to the activist, the central bank’s unwillingness to stop economic agents from demanding U.S. dollars for domestic transactions has “resulted in the constant devaluation, depreciation and unending plunge of…
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The exchange rate of the Nigerian currency versus the greenback recently plunged to an all-time low of NGN860:USD1. The naira’s depreciation has been attributed to shortages of foreign exchange on the official market and the rising demand for forex. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) said it has revoked the licenses of nearly 2,700 bureaux…
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A Zimbabwean economist has said authorities should consider paying a portion of government employees’ salaries with gold coins. The economist said partially paying government workers with gold coins can “help curtail the black market dominance” in the country’s currency market. Dollar Shortages and Rising Inflation A Zimbabwean economist, George Nhepera, has urged authorities in the…
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The South African minister of international relations, Naledi Pandor, has urged Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) countries to be wary of making a hurried decision when they meet in August to discuss launching a common currency. Pandor said her country will “not shy away from discussions” that relate to her country’s national…
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The development bank established by the BRICS group of nations has issued its first “green” bonds in U.S. dollars (USD). Proceeds from the placement will be used to fund “green” projects supported under the banking institution’s sustainable financing policy. BRICS Development Bank Launches 3-year ‘Green’ Bonds The New Development Bank (NDB), founded by the BRICS…
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Economist Peter C. Earle says de-dollarization has begun, emphasizing that “It’s not just the conscription of the dollar in economic warfare, but increasingly error-fraught monetary policy regimes that are driving various interests away from the greenback.” He described: “By weaponizing dollar dominance and permitting expanding mandates to disorient U.S. monetary policy, the dollar’s fate as…
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