No more N1k/$: ABCON predicts Naira to Dollar exchange rate in 2024, expects fx market convergence

The Association of Bureaux De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has projected that Naira will close against the dollar in 2024 at an exchange rate of N900/$.

In an exclusive interview with Legit.ng, Aminu Gwadabe, ABCON president, also expects the convergence between official and unofficial market exchange rates.

In 2023, the value of the Naira depreciated from N450 to the dollar at the official rate to exchange between N950 and N1000 at the official market.

While in the black market, the Naira fell from N750 to as high as N1,300 against the US dollar.

Bloomberg reported that this poor performance placed the Naira among the world's worst performers after the Lebanese pound and the Argentine peso in a list of 151 currencies.

The new year has also not started well for the Naira as it fell to a record low during the official market's second trading day in 2024 and exchanged above N1,200/$ in the unofficial market.

ABCON Naira's expected performance in 2024

Speaking on the outlook for 2024, Gwadabe outlined expectations for a better year for the Naira, particularly in the latter part of the year.

He said: "We expect the slide of the value of the naira to continue in the first quarter of 2024 as a result of the acute shortage of liquidity carried forward from 2023 from an average of N500/$ to N1300/$ lately in the parallel market, leaving the speculators with no market challenger that the BDCs use to performed.

"As the apex bank continues to walk their talk in the second quarter of 2024 in lifting capital control, clearing backlog, enhancing market confidence, diversify foreign inflows we will begin to see the convergence of the official and official market levels.

"Finally, we expect naira to end in 2024 at N900/$ with the full convergence of both the official and unofficial market."

Economist sets new exchange rate

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), a research and analysis firm, predicted the Naira exchange rate in 2024.

The EIU also said by the end of the following year (2024), the Naira would be exchanged at N861.5 for a US dollar.

Similarly, the EIU predicted that the pressure on the Naira would ease in 2024 without CBN implementing harsh measures.