Naira appreciates to N1,364.83/$ at official market as August begins
By Aboki Forex —
The naira strengthened against the dollar at the official foreign exchange market on Monday, starting the week and the new month of August on a positive note. Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed the naira closed at N1,364.83 per dollar, up from N1,368.22 per dollar on Friday.
That translates to a gain of N3.39 against the dollar compared with the close of trading last week. The appreciation breaks a run of losses that saw the naira record a week-long depreciation to end July.
Black market steady
At the parallel market, the naira remained unchanged at N1,425 per dollar on Monday, the same rate recorded on Friday. This leaves the gap between the official and black market rates at about N60 per dollar.
The official rate is the one published by the Central Bank of Nigeria for banks and licensed dealers. The black market rate reflects cash transactions outside the formal banking system.
Foreign reserves position
The development comes as Nigeria's foreign reserves stood at $51.92 billion, according to data from the apex bank. The reserves figure has been a key factor in the naira's stability, as the central bank uses dollar supply to support the currency.
A higher reserve level gives the monetary authority more room to intervene in the foreign exchange market. Analysts often watch the reserves data alongside the naira's daily performance for signs of sustained pressure.
What it means for the naira
Monday's gain is a modest but positive signal for businesses and consumers who have endured a volatile exchange rate in recent months. If the official rate continues to firm, it could help slow the pass-through of currency weakness into imported food prices and other goods. However, the unchanged black market rate suggests that broader confidence in the naira is yet to fully shift.