With the naira losing 23 per cent value in the third quarter of 2023, plummeting from N770/$1 at the end of the second quarter to over N1000/$1 by the end of the third quarter at the parallel market, analysts expect further pressure on the currency in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, the official exchange rate at the end of the third quarter was N755.27/$1, a noticeable drop from N769.25/$1 at the end of the second quarter.
The widening gap between the official and unofficial rates reflects the persistent scarcity of foreign exchange in the country, as well as the divergent policies of the CBN and the market forces.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has blamed the forex backlog estimated at between $6 billion to $10 billion as the major reason for the currency depreciation.
At the recent Senate confirmation of the CBN governor, Yemi Cardoso stated that he intends to establish the exact unsettled obligations and find ways to “take care of it” confirming that progress will not be made without clearing the backlog.
He said it would be naive to think that the CBN will be able to make progress if it don’t handle that side of the foreign exchange
“But definitely, the immediate priority will be to verify the authenticity and extent of the unsettled obligation and once we do that, we need to look for a way to take care of it.
