Cryptocurrency Exchange Kucoin Suspends P2P Services for Nigerian Naira

Kucoin, a global cryptocurrency exchange platform, announced on May 15 that it has temporarily suspended its peer-to-peer (P2P) services for the Nigerian naira, as well as the Fast Buy service via naira cards. The crypto exchange stated that during this period, it will focus on ensuring compliance and creating a more robust and secure environment … Read more

Nigerian Currency Becomes Worst-Performing After Erasing All Early April Gains

The Nigerian currency, which has been depreciating against the U.S. dollar in the past few weeks, has completely erased its gains from early April, making it the worst-performing currency in the world. The decline of the naira is attributed to Nigeria’s ongoing foreign exchange shortages. One economist expects the pressure on the currency to peak … Read more

Nigeria’s Headline Inflation Increases as Central Bank Intensifies Foreign Exchange Controls

In the first month of 2024, Nigeria’s headline inflation rose from nearly one percent to 29.9%. However, on a year-on-year basis, the January 2024 headline inflation rate was 8.08 percentage points higher than the January 2023 rate. Many commentators identify foreign exchange shortages as the root cause of the naira’s poor performance against major currencies. … Read more

Report: Nigerian Anti-Graft Body Identifies Individuals Fueling the Naira’s Rapid Depreciation

Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recently claimed it had identified individuals and organizations whose rapid accumulation of U.S. dollars recently accelerated the depreciation of the local currency, a report said. According to Abdulrasheed Bawa, the EFCC chairman, his organization is currently going after foreign currency speculators in Kano, Lagos, Port Harcourt, Enugu, and … Read more

Nigerian Currency Recovers Versus US Dollar — Central Bank Says Importers Must Repatriate Forex Earnings

After touching a new all-time low of N710 per dollar in late July, a new report says the Nigerian currency has rebounded by as much as 10%. After initially blaming speculators, the Central Bank of Nigeria has said importers who fail to remit forex earnings may be contributing to the naira’s depreciation. Naira Depreciation Less … Read more

Speculators and Crypto Traders Blamed for Naira’s Plunge, Kenyan Institutions Told to End Dealings With Nigerian Fintechs, CAR Token Sale off to Slow Start

In this week’s Africa news highlights, the Nigerian central bank blames speculators for causing the local currency’s plunge to a new all-time low on the parallel market. In Kenya, the central bank has told financial institutions to cease having dealings with two Nigerian fintechs, Flutterwave and Chipper Cash. The Central African Republic’s token sale is … Read more