According to Aboki Forex, the naira plunged to N1,600 to $1 despite efforts by the Central Bank of Nigeria to salvage the free fall of the naira.
Though the
naira had been on a downward trend against the dollar before Mr Tinubu assumed
office last May, the naira’s freefall accelerated following the floating of the
currency.
In September,
the naira exchanged at N1,000 to one dollar at the parallel market, a historic
dip that spotlighted the weakness of Mr Tinubu’s efforts to manage the national
currency amid runaway inflation.
In July, the
Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA) complained that
floating the nation’s currency had caused a drop in vehicle importation in the
nation’s ports.
The currency
fell to N1,520.123 to a dollar on January 31, according to Naira Rates.
This is
against the currency’s depreciation to N1,482.75 per dollar recorded in the
official foreign exchange market on January 30, amounting to a N38 depreciation
for the naira under 24 hours.
The fall made
it the first time after the COVID-19 period that the official exchange rate
will be higher than the parallel market exchange rate, which traded at N1,470
per dollar from N1,425 on January 29.
The monetary
policy of Mr Tinubu’s government played a huge role in the further downward
slide of the naira after he floated the currency.
Mr Tinubu’s
economic policy scrapping fuel subsidy and collapsing multiple foreign exchange
windows into the single Importer and Exporter, or I&E window, drastically
depreciated the naira’s value by 98 per cent, a report by the Price Water
Coopers stated.
The top global
business advisory audit firm said in its report ‘Nigeria’s Economic Outlook:
Seven Trends That Will Shape Nigerian Economy in 2024’ that Mr Tinubu
implemented policies that had the domino effect of devaluing the naira by
nearly 100 per cent but appealed to foreign investors as the move was projected
to improve the economy in 2024.
On September
26, the naira witnessed an unprecedented historical low, dipping to N1000
against the U.S. dollar. Since then, the currency lost 17 per cent of its
value.
The persistent
decline of the naira is a source of concern and a spotlight on the challenges
associated with President Bola Tinubu’s fiscal policies.
Despite the
far-reaching consequences, including inflation and diminished economic
purchasing power, Mr Tinubu has undertaken what his cabinet refers to as
strategic moves, such as the petrol subsidy removal, which was met with
resistance and scepticism but reflects an attempt to reduce the government’s
financial burden and promote a more market-driven economy as well as the
decision to adopt a clean float foreign exchange management..
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