Naira Plunges At Interbank Market

The Naira plunged on Monday at the interbank market to close at N350 to a US dollar, from N304.75 it traded last Tuesday. Bringing its total one-week lost against the US dollar to N45.25.

On the parallel market, the local currency dropped N5 from N465 recorded last week to close at N470 to the U.S dollar, while both the Pound Sterling and the Euro traded at N560 and N510 respectively.

At the Bureau De Change segment, the Naira was exchanged at N385 to a dollar, the CBN stipulated rate.

The surge in demand for the greenback had plunged the Naira against the US dollar as manufacturers are reportedly sourcing for dollars at the parallel market to meet the usual end of the year sales, stiffening the limited liquidity further.

Accordingly, the Central Bank of Nigeria's acting Director, Corporate Communications, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, in a statement on Monday said the apex bank has apportioned over $660 million to the manufacturing industries at the interbank market, this he said will ease foreign exchange pressure on the manufacturing and agricultural sectors through forward sales under the new flexible Forex regime.

He further stated that “The CBN is committed to ensuring that manufacturers of goods for which Nigeria does not enjoy comparative advantage are able to get letters of credit (LCs) to import the required materials for their businesses.”

Okorafor urged manufacturers to take advantage of the initiative to push Nigeria to the forefront of exporting nations through backward integration.

Traders are optimistic that the Naira would improve as diaspora remittances was expected to bolster market liquidity at the yuletide season.

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