Nigerian Naira Encounters Resistance in NAFEX Market

In the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM), the Naira fell 0.1% against the US Dollar on April 25, marking its fifth consecutive day of depreciation despite an improvement in FX supply on the spot market. The Naira also weakened against the Pound Sterling and Euro, while cryptocurrencies experienced mixed performance, with Litecoin, Binance Coin, Ethereum, Dogecoin, Bitcoin, and Ripple showing gains, and Solana, Cardano, and Tether remaining stable.

Nigerian Naira Faces Headwinds in NAFEX Market

The Nigerian Naira experienced a decline against the US Dollar in the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) on Thursday, April 25th, marking its fifth consecutive day of depreciation. The local currency closed at N1,309.88/$1, down 0.1% from its previous closing value of N1,308.52/$1.

Despite an increase in FX liquidity, with turnover surging 61% or $120.54 million to $318.08 million compared to $197.54 million, the Naira continued to lose value. This setback comes amid the Central Bank of Nigeria's (CBN) ongoing efforts to bolster the currency through sustained reforms.

In an effort to safeguard the foreign exchange market, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) froze over 300 accounts linked to illicit forex trading. EFCC Chairman, Mr. Ola Olukoyede, stated that the agency has uncovered activities within the system that are more detrimental to the market than the Binance crypto trading platform.

The Naira also depreciated against the Pound Sterling and the Euro on Thursday. It lost N64.95 against the British currency, trading at N1,655.20/£1 compared to N1,590.25/£1, while it shed N55.81 against the Euro, closing at N1,423.04/€1 versus N1,367.23/€1.

In the parallel market, the local currency plummeted by N120 against the US Dollar, trading at N1,420/$1 compared to N1,300/$1 on Wednesday.

The digital currency market witnessed some recoveries, with Litecoin (LTC) gaining 1.4% to $83.88 and Binance Coin (BNB) rising 1.2% to $614.13. Ethereum (ETH) increased by 1.1% to $3,157.96, Dogecoin (DOGE) grew by 0.9% to $0.1518, Bitcoin (BTC) expanded by 0.8% to $64,520.28, and Ripple (XRP) climbed 0.1% to $0.5248.

However, there were also declines in the digital currency market. Solana (SOL) fell 1.2% to $145.07, Cardano (ADA) depreciated 0.3% to $0.4712, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) remained unchanged at $1.00 each.

The Nigerian Naira's recent depreciation against major currencies and the continuation of illicit forex trading activities highlight the challenges faced by the local currency. The CBN and other regulatory agencies are taking steps to address these issues, but the stability of the Naira remains a concern for businesses and individuals in the country.