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Nigerian Vice President Says Current Naira Exchange Rate ‘Artificially Low’
12.10.2021
Nigerian Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recently warned that the country’s official naira exchange rate of N411 for every dollar is artificially low. This exchange rate, according to Osinbajo, discourages foreign exchange entrance into the country. Naira Exchange Rate Must Reflect Realities...
Cryptocurrencies Have ‘No Intrinsic Value’ Says South African Hedge Fund Guru
4.10.2021
Jean-Pierre Verster, the founder of a South African hedge fund Protea Capital Management, has said he does not believe there is “intrinsic value” in cryptocurrencies. He insists that cryptocurrencies have “elements of a Ponzi scheme” and for that reason, he has...
Remittances to Africa Set to Drop by 5.4 % to $41 Billion — Covid-19 Pandemic and High Sending Costs Blamed
21.9.2021
According to findings from the Continental Migration Report 2021, remittances to African countries are projected to decrease from the $44 billion recorded in 2020 to $41 billion. The Covid Effect As expected, the Covid-19 pandemic is identified as one of the main causes of the decline. However...
Nigerian Currency Plunges to New Low of 570 — 10% of Value Lost in Under 30 Days
17.9.2021
The Nigerian currency, the naira, plunged to a new all-time low of N570 for every dollar on September 16, 2021. This new exchange rate means since August 17, the naira has now lost about a tenth of its value on the foreign currency black market. Naira Overvalued In spite of this plunge, which...
African Economist Says Regulated Cryptocurrencies Are Reasonable Alternative to Single Trade Currency
6.9.2021
A Nigeria-based research and development economist, Gospel Obele, has called “for a unified regulatory mechanism for cryptocurrency trading.” He adds that such regulation of cryptocurrencies can potentially “complement an African digital currency,” hence this needs to...
Annual US Dollar Remittances to Nigeria Surge to $34 Billion but Forex Woes Persist
31.8.2021
According to a report, the value of annual dollar remittances by Nigerians working abroad has surged to $34 billion, a figure that easily surpasses the previous record-high of $25 billion. Still, a large portion of the funds doesn’t seem to be entering domestic forex markets. Target Attained...
Nigerian Central Bank Freezes Bank Accounts of Fintech Firms, Accuses Them of Violating Forex Regulations
19.8.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) reportedly frozen bank accounts belonging to four fintech firms for up to 180 days after a Federal High Court in Abuja acceded to an “ex parte motion.” The ex parte motion, which is a form of temporary suspension, was granted after a Nigerian chief...
People’s Bank of China Targets Crypto Companies in Shenzhen Crackdown
18.8.2021
The Shenzhen office of the People’s Bank of China (PBOC) has reportedly set out to correct the business activities of about a dozen companies allegedly engaged in cryptocurrency transactions. According to Chinese media, the entities have been targeted in a crackdown on crypto trading in...
Nigerian Central Bank Stops Forex Sales to Bureaus de Change — Operators Accused of Feeding Black Market
28.7.2021
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently announced the abrupt end to sales and outsourcing of foreign exchange to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators after accusing them of failing to stick to their core mandate. Instead of providing forex to retail users, BDCs are believed to be supplying...
Kenyan Remittances Surged by 20% in H1, North America and Europe-Based Diaspora Contribute Over 80%
22.7.2021
According to the latest data from the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK), diaspora remittances inflows to the country surged to $1.75 billion in the first six months of 2021. This figure represents a nearly 20% increase from the $1.46 billion recorded in the same period last year. 2021 Inflows Set...
Smuggler Arrested With CPUs Strapped To His Body
14.7.2021
Last week customs officials working at the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge stopped a truck driver who they thought was looking “nervous”. With good reason; after searching him they found the dude was literally strapped with concealed...CPUs.Read more
Forex Shortages Force Nigerian Corporates to Turn to Parallel Market
13.7.2021
Nigeria’s ongoing shortage of foreign exchange is forcing corporates and businesses to source this resource on the parallel market, a former official with the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has said. According to Muda Yusuf, who is the previous director-general at LCCI, these...
South Africa Bank Blocks Clients From Buying Crypto on Binance, Exchange Rejects Allegations
23.6.2021
A South African bank, Absa, has reportedly blocked use of its credit cards for users buying cryptocurrencies on international exchanges, according to one media report. The claims come after clients of the financial institution reported receiving a text message informing them of the suspension...
New World Bank Report: Nigeria’s Exchange Rate Policies Fueling Inflation, Affecting Food Prices
21.6.2021
Nigeria’s use of multiple exchange rates regimes may have contributed to a rise in the country’s inflation rate, the latest World Bank report has said. In addition, the report says ongoing restrictions on the use and movement of foreign exchange are “further pushing up prices...
After Central Bank Devalues Naira by 5% Finance Minister Attributes Drop to ‘Market Forces’
14.6.2021
Nigerian Finance Minister Zainab Ahmed has denied widespread reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had sanctioned the devaluation of the local currency sometime in May 2021. Instead, she attributes the naira’s fall to the “volatility in the oil price.” Ahmed’s...
India Probes Cryptocurrency Exchange Wazirx in Chinese Money Laundering Case
12.6.2021
India’s Directorate of Enforcement (ED) has reportedly sent a notice to Wazirx, one of the largest cryptocurrency exchanges in India, under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999, (FEMA). The investigation was initiated “on the basis of the ongoing money-laundering investigation into...
Nigerian Lawmakers Slam Naira Devaluation, Warn of Inflation Implications
11.6.2021
Nigeria’s House of Representatives has moved a motion calling on the country’s central bank to end the continuing devaluation of the naira. In his unanimously adopted motion, House Representative Bamidele Salam warned the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) of the negative “implications...
Official Remittances to Nigeria Plummet by Almost 40% in a Year When Crypto Use Surged
14.5.2021
According to the latest data from the World Bank, international money transfers into Nigeria dropped by nearly 40% from $23.8 billion recorded in 2019 to $17.2 billion in the past year. Yet despite this fall, remittances, which account for 4% of the country’s GDP, still remain an important...
Venture Capitalist Proposes a Single Decentralized Crypto as a Solution to Boost Africa’s Inter-Regional Trade
6.5.2021
South African venture capitalist, Michael Jordaan, recently suggested that a single decentralized cryptocurrency may be the solution that brings great benefits to inter-regional trade and investment in Africa. According to Jordaan, who is also the former CEO of one of South Africa’s leading...
US Dollar Share of Global Foreign Exchange Reserves Drops to 25-Year Low
6.5.2021
Serkan Arslanalp is Deputy Division Chief in the Balance of Payments Division of the International Monetary Fund (IMF)’s Statistics Department. Chima Simpson-Bell is an Economist in the same department.
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The share of US dollar reserves held by central banks fell to 59%—its lowest level in...