Dollar rate margin widens in black, official markets by over N300, as naira falls across channels

Bureau De Change operators continue to sell the United States dollar at a premium price in the black market, maintaining its over N300 difference when compared to the rate in the official market.

This is despite the average rate of the dollar going for N800 on Tuesday, in contrast to the about N865 the American greenback exchanged for during trading the previous day.

READ ALSO:Dollar hits N865 after Buhari confirms redesign of naira notes

On Monday, demand for the USD had gone haywire after reports circulated that President Muhammadu Buhari was in support of the release of the redesigned naira notes.

Report of President Buhari’s position on the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Sunday sent the dollar rate above N800 from the N790 it was sold in the black market on Friday.

With the dollar stabilising above N800, it gives credence to the statement of Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) President, Aminu Gwadabe, that, “I am not a prophet of doom and student of continuing naira depreciation but except fundamental goodwill and courage are demonstrated, the naira will continue to suffer loss in exchange for the greenbacks.”

Gwadabe had stated that the foreign policies of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) were fueling the value of the US dollar against the naira, and creating a huge premium between official and parallel market rates.

The exchange rates in the two forex windows widens despite the naira depreciating on Tuesday to N446/$1 in the official FX market, indicating dollar value rose from Monday’s N443.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now