By Mark Ogagan
The Nigerian Naira continued its free fall against major currencies on Tuesday, trading at N1,825 to the US dollar, despite efforts by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to disrupt the activities of perceived manipulators and speculators.
On Monday, Peoples Gazette reported how the anti-graft agency raided the well-known Abuja Zone 4 market, shooting at Bureau De Change operators to stop the naira’s rapid decline.
But, less than 24 hours after EFCC raided BDC operators in Abuja, the naira continued its rapid decline, dipping from N1,700 against the dollar to N1,825 to a dollar 24 hours later.
This came as the naira hit an all-time low against the dollar and pound sterling in Nigeria’s history, 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 President 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. This historic dip spotlighted the weakness of the administration’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 pandemic that the official exchange rate was higher than the parallel market exchange rate, which traded at N1,470 per dollar from N1,425 on January 29.
The monetary policy of President Bola Tinubu’s government played a huge role in the further downward slide of the naira after he floated the currency.
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 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 has 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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