Business
LCCI: It Is Wrong To Call Bureau De Change Parrallel or unofficial Market
The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) has advised the money and capital markets operators including media profeesionals to stop calling Bureau De Change (BDCs) the parallel or unofficial markets.
” BDCs should not be referred to as parallel or unofficial markets, because they are officially licensed to trade,” said Dr. Michael Olawale-Cole, LCCI President.
Dr. Olawale-Cole, gave this enlightenment during the 2023 Mid-Year Economic Review and Outlook jointly organized by the LCCI and Cordros Capital to point out opportunities for business growth and sustainability in Nigeria and the global market.
At the event, Dr. Olawale-Cole, noted
that the LCCI, over the last 135 years, has consistently engaged the government and advanced the growth of the private sector and the overall Nigerian economy through regular reviews of the business and economic climate and policy advocacy.
The consensus reached at the end of the Mid-Year Economic and Outlook are detailed below.
The consensus of Stakeholders at the 2023 Mid-Year Economic Review and Outlook
1.Government should consider the urgent need for an all-encompassing economic and fiscal plan, full/ partial divestment of state-owned real estate, improved transport sector, and energy assets as post-election priorities.
2.The government must focus more on asset-based and equity offerings to improve revenue.
3.Institutional reorganization is urgently needed in the CBN and the NNPC to improve transparency and accountability.
4.The operating environment of NNPCL is somewhat opaque, which is anti-competition.
The oil sector will attract the desired investment if the government liberalizes fuel import licenses and other vital activities in the midstream and downstream.
5.Government should unlock revenue from assets by complementing tax with rent, fees, dividends, and capital gains. Economies that optimize revenue through equities have recently offset the loss from declining commodity prices.
6.The new administration is advised to borrow better to reduce debt costs by issuing a more asset-linked debt than IOUs.
The non-interest-bearing debt opportunities should be explored as emerging markets tilt towards project equity financing.
Business
CBN Urges Public, Businesses Not To Reject N100 Bank Note
The CBN strongly cautions individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and other economic agents against rejecting the standard N100 banknote. Such rejection constitutes a violation of the provisions of the CBN Act and undermines confidence in the national currency.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has stated that the Standard N100 note is still a legal tender and must be accepted for all transactions.
The apex bank made the appeal in a statement by its Ag. Director, Corporate Communications, Mrs. Hakama Sidi-Ali, clarifying that it became necessary, following reports that some members of the public were rejecting the note.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the CBN hereby reiterates that both the commemorative N100 banknote and the standard N100 banknote remain legal tender in Nigeria and must be accepted for all transactions nationwide,” she said.
“The commemorative N100 banknote, which was introduced to mark Nigeria’s centenary, did not replace the existing standard N100 banknote.
The CBN strongly cautions individuals, businesses, financial institutions, and other economic agents against rejecting the standard N100 banknote. Such rejection constitutes a violation of the provisions of the CBN Act and undermines confidence in the national currency.
BLACK MARKET RATES
US DOLLAR (USD) Buy ₦1, 410 Sell ₦1,415
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) Buy ₦1,870 Sell: ₦1,890
EURO (EUR) Buy ₦1, 575 Sell ₦1,595
CANADIAN DOLLAR (CAD) Buy ₦1,020 Sell ₦1,080
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) Buy ₦75 Sell ₦90
UAE DIRHAM Buy ₦350 Sell ₦370
CHINESE YUAN Buy ₦190 Sell ₦205
GHANA CEDI (GHS) Buy ₦95 Sell ₦110
WEST AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2, 300 Sell ₦2, 400
CENTRAL AFRICAN CFA Buy ₦2,150 Sell 2,250
AUSTRALIAN DOLLAR Buy ₦800 Sell ₦900
Official CBN Exchange Rates
US DOLLAR (USD) ₦1,379.07
GREAT BRITISH POUND (GBP) ₦1,840.64
EURO (EUR) ₦1,572.00
SWISS FRANC (CHF) ₦1,704.45
JAPANESE YEN (JPN) ₦8. 48
CHINESE YUAN (CNY) ₦202.76
WEST AFRICAN CFA (XOF) ₦2.38
WEST AFRICAN UNIT ACCOUNT (WAUA) ₦1,859. 53
SAUDI RIYAL (SAR) ₦367.24
SOUTH AFRICAN RAND (ZAR) ₦84. 08
The Nigerian naira continued its recent slide against the US dollar, hitting N1,405 per dollar in the parallel (black) market amid ongoing demand pressures and supply constraints in the foreign exchange market.
According to traders and market sources, the local currency weakened from around N1,400–N1,410 levels in recent sessions, reflecting persistent challenges in the forex ecosystem. In contrast, the official Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) rate, managed by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), stood firmer at approximately N1,368–N1,370 per dollar.
This development widens the gap between the official and parallel markets, raising concerns among analysts about liquidity, speculative activities, and the impact on importers and businesses reliant on dollar transactions.
The depreciation comes as Nigeria grapples with balancing foreign exchange inflows, including remittances and oil revenues, against high demand for imports, debt servicing, and other obligations. Market watchers attribute the pressure partly to seasonal factors and limited dollar availability at official windows, pushing more transactions toward the parallel market.
The CBN has been intervening through various measures to stabilize the naira, including boosting liquidity and tightening monetary policy. However, the parallel market remains sensitive to real-time supply and demand dynamics.
Economists warn that sustained volatility could fuel inflation and affect consumer prices, particularly for imported goods. Stakeholders are calling for stronger policy coordination to narrow the official-parallel rate disparity and restore greater confidence in the forex regime.
Further updates will depend on upcoming CBN interventions and inflows in the days ahead.
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