Naira Depreciates Across Official and Parallel FX Markets, Closes Week on a Negative Note
By Aboki Forex —
The Nigerian Naira weakened across both the official foreign exchange market and the parallel market on Friday, ending the trading week on a negative note. The Central Bank of Nigeria’s data showed the currency declined slightly in the official window while dropping more sharply at the black market.
Official Market Slips Marginally
According to CBN data, the Naira traded at N1,370.19 per dollar on Friday, down from N1,370.15 recorded on Thursday. This represents a marginal depreciation of N0.04 against the dollar in the official foreign exchange market.
Black Market Sees Steeper Drop
At the parallel market, the Naira fell by N10 to close at N1,405 per dollar on Friday, compared to N1,395 exchanged the previous day. The sharper decline in the black market underscores persistent demand pressure for dollars outside the official window.
External Reserves Hit $51.46 Billion
The downward trend of the Nigerian currency on Friday across foreign exchange markets comes despite the country’s sustained surge in external reserves, which reached $51.46 billion on June 30th, 2026. The reserves level is among the highest recorded in recent years and typically provides a buffer for the CBN to defend the Naira.
Week-on-Week Performance Still Positive
Despite Friday’s losses, the Naira recorded more gains than losses at the official foreign exchange market over the week. The currency gained N10.74 per dollar when compared to the N1,380.93 per dollar traded the previous Friday.
What This Means for the Naira and Businesses
The mixed performance highlights the fragility of the Naira’s recent stability. While official market rates have shown some resilience, the widening gap between the official and parallel market rates signals that demand for dollars remains elevated. For Nigerian businesses that rely on imported raw materials, the black market rate is often the more relevant benchmark, meaning input costs could remain under pressure if the gap persists.