E-Naira: Things To Know As CBN

Published

4 years ago

September 18, 2021

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will launch a digital currency, e-Naira in October to coincide with the nation’s independence anniversary.

Governor Godwin Emefiele has assured that the advantages of the Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC) are enormous.

The apex bank chief urged Nigerians to embrace the e-Naira and explained it is safer than cryptocurrencies.

Things to know and the benefits:

Digital currency is the electronic form of fiat money issued by governments. However, many confuse it with cryptocurrency which is a store of value secured by encryption.

The central bank of a country supervises digital currency. Cryptocurrencies are not regulated by any government, reason why authorities warn against bitcoin, ethereum and the likes.

According to The Atlantic Council, more than 80 countries are now exploring a CBDC against 35 countries in May 2020.

The American think tank says China – which banned crypto dealings – is ahead, allowing foreign visitors to use digital yuan if they provide passport information to the People’s Bank of China,

The Bahamian Sand Dollar was the first CBDC to become widely available; over 14 countries are in the pilot stage while 5 have fully launched.

They are the Bahamas, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Lucia, and Grenada.

In 2017, the CBN took the decision to digitize the Naira, following the rise in the use of digital payments and acceptance of the digital economy.

In late August 2021, the regulator announced the selection of Fintech company, Bitt Inc., as the Technical Partner.

The firm was key to the development and launch of the CBDC pilot of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) in April 2021.

The e-Naira would only exist in digital and electronic form. Individuals and financial institutions can track transactions easier.

e-Naira local and international transfers can be made within a little time and at cheaper rates. It simplifies cross-border trade and guarantees a faster inflow of remittances.

Users would be able to transfer existing funds in bank accounts to their digital currency account.

e-Naira is expected to help Nigerians create new business opportunities, financial products and services, reduce the cost of operations and cash management.

The digital currency would be implemented through a two-tiered model to enable a structure that allows public-private partnerships.

The CBN will design the e-Naira but disseminate it through regulated financial institutions. They would provide digital cash to persons and businesses.

(DAILY POST)

Naira Depreciates Against Dollar

Published

1 week ago

July 4, 2025

Editor

The Naira experienced a slight depreciation on Friday at the official market, trading at N1,528.56 to the dollar.

Data obtained from the website of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) showed that the Naira lost N2.73.

This represents a 0.17 percent loss compared to the N1,525.82 recorded on Thursday.

The Naira, which opened the week on Monday with a gain of N9.52 against the dollar, held steady gains until Thursday.

On Wednesday, the local currency gained N3.42 against the dollar and received commendation from the International Monetary Fund (IMF).

The IMF, in its 2025 Article IV Consultation report on Nigeria, commended the CBN for its reforms to the foreign exchange market, which supported price discovery and liquidity.

JUST IN: Dangote Refinery Hikes Petrol Ex-depot Price

Published

3 weeks ago

June 20, 2025

Editor

Nigerians may soon pay more for petrol as the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on Friday increased its ex-depot price for Premium Motor Spirit to N880 per litre, raising fresh concerns over fuel affordability and price volatility in the downstream sector.

Checks on petroleumprice.ng, a platform tracking daily product prices, and a Pro Forma Invoice seen by The PUNCH confirmed the hike, representing a N55 increase from the previous rate of N825 per litre.

The increment would ripple across the entire fuel distribution chain, likely pushing pump prices above N900/litre in some parts of the country, especially in areas far from the distribution hubs.

The hike comes despite global crude prices falling. Brent crude dipped by 3.02% to $76.47, WTI fell to $74.93, and Murban dropped to $76.97 on Friday. The decline in benchmarks offers little relief due to persistent fears of sudden supply disruptions.

The refinery has increased its reliance on imported U.S. crude and operational costs amid exchange rate instability, which adds to its pricing pressure.

On Thursday, the President of the Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, said his 650,000-barrel capacity refinery is “increasingly” relying on the United States for crude oil.

This came as findings showed that the Dangote Petroleum Refinery is projected to import a total of 17.65 million barrels of crude oil between April and July 2025, beginning with about 3.65 million barrels already delivered in the past two months, amid ongoing allocations under the Federal Government’s naira-for-crude policy.

Dangote informed the Technical Committee of the One-Stop Shop for the sale of crude and refined products in naira initiative that the refinery was still battling crude shortages, which had led it to resort to imports from the United States.

On Monday, the president of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, Festus Osifo, accused oil marketers of exploiting Nigerians through inflated petrol prices, insisting that the current pump price of PMS should range between N700 and N750 per litre.

He criticised the disparity between falling global crude oil prices and the stagnant retail price of petrol in Nigeria.

“If you go online and check the PLAT cost per cubic metre of PMS, convert that to litres and then to our Naira, you will see that with crude at around $60 per barrel, petrol should be retailing between N700 and N750 per litre.”

He asserted that if Nigerians bear the brunt of higher fuel costs, they should be allowed to enjoy the benefit of low pricing.

His forecast of increased costs now appears spot on, considering the latest developments.

Marketers are already adjusting. Depot owners and fuel distributors in Lagos and other cities anticipate a domino effect, with new price bands expected to follow Dangote’s lead.

Many had held back pricing decisions since Tuesday, when the refinery halted sales and withheld fresh PFIs. The delay fueled speculation, allowing opportunistic price hikes across various depots.

Business

Naira Appreciates At Official Market

Published

2 months ago

May 24, 2025

Editor

The Naira, which has seen steady appreciation against the Dollar all week, closed stronger on Friday, trading at ₦1,580.44 in the official forex market.

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria’s website show the Naira gained ₦4.51k against the Dollar on Friday alone.

This marks a 0.28 per cent appreciation from Thursday’s closing rate of ₦1,584.95 in the official foreign exchange window.

The local currency maintained consistent strength throughout the week, recording gains daily.

On Monday, May 19, it traded at ₦1,598.68; on Tuesday, at ₦1,590.45; and on Wednesday, at ₦1,584.49.

These gains suggest increased investor confidence and improved forex supply, contributing to the naira’s performance.

Meanwhile, the CBN, at its 300th Monetary Policy Committee meeting held Monday and Tuesday, retained the Monetary Policy Rate at 27.5 per cent.