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Volatile Nigerian Currency Rallies 12%, Becomes Best-Performing Currency in April
15.4.2024
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...
Economic Intelligence Unit: Nigerian Central Bank Lacks Capacity to Defend Local Currency
12.3.2024
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...
Egypt Devalues Currency, Raises Interest Rates to Fulfill Key IMF Aid Requirement
8.3.2024
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...
Embattled Binance Discontinues Nigerian Naira Services — Users Urged to Convert NGN Balances
8.3.2024
Binance, one of the leading crypto exchanges, has said it will discontinue all Nigerian naira services on March 8. The crypto exchange’s decision to drop trading pairs that feature the naira follows weeks of attacks and an official crackdown on its Nigerian operations. Crypto experts like...
Nigeria’s Headline Inflation Increases as Central Bank Intensifies Foreign Exchange Controls
17.2.2024
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...
Nigerian Currency Depreciation: Central Bank Head Reaffirms Commitment to Reviving Confidence in the Economy
8.2.2024
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...
Nigeria Forex Crisis: Central Bank Removes Cap on Exchange Rate for International Money Transfer Operators
4.2.2024
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...
Report: Turkey Exits From Foreign Exchange Protected Deposit Program
3.1.2024
On Jan. 1 Turkey ended its two-year-old foreign exchange (FX)—protected deposit program in what is seen as another step towards a return to orthodoxy. Treasury and Finance Minister, Mehmet Simsek also signaled the start of what he called a “permanent improvement in the current account.”...
Report: Nigerian Currency Plunges to New Low Versus the US Dollar
22.12.2023
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...
New EU Sanctions Package Preclude Russians From Owning Crypto Companies
21.12.2023
The European Union said Russian nationals from owning or controlling crypto service providers under the bloc’s twelfth package of restrictive measures against the country. According to the EU, diamonds entering its will now have to be traced from “the mine to the finger” and this...
Nigerian Central Bank Refutes Claims It Plans to Redenominate the Naira in 2024
2.11.2023
The Nigerian Central Bank has denied claims in a widely circulating text message that it plans to redenominate the naira starting in January 2024. According to the bank, the authors of the message had seemingly “modified text eked from an old policy” by a previous governor in 2007....
Report: Nigerian Central Bank Sued for Dollarizing Economy
30.8.2023
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...
Nigerian Currency Plunges to New Low, Central Bank Says the Naira Is Undervalued
11.8.2023
The Nigerian currency continued its slide versus the greenback when it fell to a new all-time low of NGN950 per dollar. Folashodun Shonubi, the acting governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, insists that the naira is currently undervalued. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said...
Economist Peter Schiff Warns US Dollar Collapse ‘Inevitable’
5.8.2023
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....
Russian Ruble Falls by Over 18% in 2023, Economist Says the Currency Has ‘Stabilized’
25.7.2023
After the Russian currency touched a year low versus the greenback of nearly 92 units for every dollar, economist Robin Brooks said the ruble has stabilized and may eventually be lifted by rising oil prices. The Institute of International Finance Economist urged G7 countries to consider cutting...
Nigerian Currency Plunges to All-Time Low Versus Dollar, Central Bank Revokes Licenses of 2,700 Currency Exchanges
22.7.2023
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...
Study: Six Countries Account for Over 90% of Africa’s Crypto Interest in H1 2023
18.7.2023
Between Jan. 1 and July 4, the Nigerian share of Africa’s overall interest in cryptocurrency stood at 66.8%, a figure nearly eight times that of second-ranked South Africa’s share, according to the latest Coingecko report. South Africa, along with Morocco, Ghana, Egypt, and the Ivory...
Litecoin on the Brink of Third Halving: Record Hashrate and Profitable Mining Despite 17% Value Dip
17.7.2023
In a mere fortnight, the Litecoin network is poised for its third reward halving event, a seismic shift that will slash the LTC miners’ block rewards from 12.5 LTC per block down to 6.25 LTC. Data illustrates an intensified dedication of hashrate to the Litecoin blockchain as the critical...
Report: Zimbabwean Economist Says Portion of Goverment Employees’ Salaries Must Be Paid in Gold Coins
15.7.2023
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...
Report: Cuban Peso Parallel Market Rate Plunges to Low Last Seen in Oct. 2022
26.6.2023
The parallel market exchange rate of the Cuban peso versus the greenback recently dropped to CUP200 per dollar, a level last seen in Oct. 2022, a report has said. Pavel Vidal, a former economist at the Cuban central bank, said the peso’s depreciation has caused the “impoverishment...