Business
U.S Gifts Nigeria $2 Million Broadband Study Grant
During the Technology Dialogue, the U.S. Department of State hosted a senior delegation from the Nigerian government led by the Honorable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani.
The United States and Nigeria have signed a new $2,095,000 grant to assess the viability of the deployment of at least 90,000 km of new fiber optic backbone infrastructure across Nigeria.
The grant was signed during the U.S- Nigeria Technology Dialogue hosted by the Department of State in Washington, D.C.on January 10.
In a statement, the Office of the Spokesperson said that the project, funded by the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, supports Nigeria’s National Broadband Plan 2020-2025 to increase the country’s broadband penetration rate from 42.27 percent to 70 percent and ensure that at least 90 percent of Nigeria’s population has access to affordable and reliable broadband coverage.
During the Technology Dialogue, the U.S. Department of State hosted a senior delegation from the Nigerian government led by the Honorable Minister of Communications, Innovation and Digital Economy Bosun Tijani.
The parties discussed enhancing the resilience and security of essential services and facilities; promoting digital trade, e-commerce, and innovation-driven economic growth; developing a skilled workforce to meet the demands of the digital age; expanding our artificial intelligence partnership related to capacity building, infrastructure, and rights-respecting approaches to governance; and promoting information integrity.
Following the formal Technology Dialogue, the delegations joined a roundtable discussion with industry representatives hosted by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Industry participants included representatives from over 25 U.S. and Nigerian companies active in technology sectors, including artificial intelligence, telecommunications, digital infrastructure, satellites, aerospace, fintech, and cybersecurity.
The program featured a panel discussion on Advancing Public-Private Sector Investment in Innovation and Digital Talent Development.
This panel highlighted opportunities for public-private partnership and investment solutions to spur innovation and promote digital talent development through the U.S.-Nigeria commercial partnership.
A second panel discussion on the role of critical infrastructure in advancing the use of AI examined the interplay between the infrastructure that is essential to the development of AI and the governance frameworks that can help spur deployment of emerging technologies to support inclusive growth.
In line with the Technology Dialogue, the United States and Nigeria agreed to hold a virtual expert exchange on AI-enabled biotechnology.
This discussion will explore how the convergence of AI and biotechnology can spur progress in addressing global health, food security, and science – with a focus on sub-Saharan Africa.
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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