Dollar to Naira Exchange Rate has neared N1,000/$1 as the dollar scarcity bites harder at the black market.
NewsOnline Nigeria reports that the Dollar to Naira exchange rate plunged to a record low of N983/$1 at the black market on Wednesday as currency traders said there was no dollar to sell insinuating dollar scarcity.
This Nigeria News platform understands that the current Dollar to Naira exchange rate represents a 2.93% drop when compared with the N955/$1 that it traded the previous day as the foreign exchange crisis in the country continues unabated.
This also shows a substantial depreciation from the N950/$1 that it traded last week as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) appears to be still struggling to stabilize the foreign exchange market despite its various policy pronouncements.
Recall that in mid-August, the dollar was quoted as low as N955/$1, stoking fears among investors that the exchange rate might plummet to N1000/$1. This, however, appreciated at some point to N840/$1 after the apex bank warned speculators about potential major losses due to the policies it hopes to introduce.
We are out of business
A top official of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) who did not want to be mentioned said that the forex market is currently in disarray as most of the licensed operators do not have dollars to sell and as such out of business.
- He said, ‘’The market has scattered, the rate is N983/$1. Most of the licensed bureau de change operators do not even have dollars to sell, we are out of business. I think the liquidity is in the so-called parallel market. Its all about scarcity and when there is scarcity, it gives rise to parallel or black market.’’
He said that if there is dollar available to sell or buy, he might not even do the transaction because he does not know what to do, adding that he is confused as a licensed bureau de change operator
Going further he said,
- ‘’You see this market operates on different level, we have started seeing Binance, we are now seeing Dubai rate, we are now seeing local parallel market rate, so it depends on the level you are.’’
