Naira falls lower in parallel market

The naira fell to a new all-time low of 470 to the dollar on the parallel market on Wednesday, posting its biggest daily decline since the Central Bank of Nigeria adopted a flexible foreign exchange regime.

The local currency stood at 452 to the dollar at the close of trading on Tuesday, down from 445 against the greenback on Monday.

The naira closed flat at 312.99 against the dollar at the interbank market on Wednesday, according to data from FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange.

Traders and analysts said dollar liquidity remained a major challenge in the market amid surging demand pressure on the greenback by parents paying schools fees of their children studying overseas as well as travellers.

The President, Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, told our correspondent, “The rate is N472 to the dollar as we await the kick-off of the distribution of dollars to the BDCs by Travelex on Friday.