The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday intervened in the foreign exchange (forex) market with a $195 injection into key segments of the economy.
The forex inflow, which came on the first day of business after the Eid-el-Fitr celebration, went to various segments of the inter-bank market.
The intervention was part of CBN’s plans to shore up the value of the naira against the dollar and achieve its exchange rate stability goal. The naira continued its stability in the forex market, closing at N370/$1 in the parallel market, from N520/$1 in February.
The narrowing of rate gap was achieved after the CBN in the last four months pumped over $5 billion into the interbank, bureau de change, wholesale spot and forwards auction segments of the market.
Also, supporting the naira is the newly introduced Investor/Exporter Forex window which has attracted $2.5 billion from foreign investors since April 24, when it was introduced.
A breakdown of Wednesday’s intervention indicates that authorised dealers in the wholesale window segment received a $100 million offer from the bank. Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and invisibles windows were allocated $50 million and $45 million.
The CBN’s Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Isaac Okorafor, confirmed the figures and disclosed that the Bank was impressed by the high level of transparency exhibited by stakeholders in the market.
The naira was quoted unchanged at N370 per dollar at the black market.
