Why Naira Will Keep Crashing at FX Market—Osinbajo

February 15, 2017
naira-dollar-forex

Why Naira Will Keep Crashing at FX Market—Osinbajo

By Dipo Olowookere

Nigeria’s Acting-President, Mr Yemi Osinbajo, has given reasons for the incessant weakening of the Naira against the Dollar at the foreign exchange (FX) market.

Speaking in Port Harcourt recently, the Acting President said one of the reasons is corruption.

He said further the vandalization of pipeline facilities in the Niger-Delta region were responsible for the reduction in the volume of Dollar reserved with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

“Some people have said ‘Ah! When you came the exchange rate was this now it is that.’ What accounts for exchange rates is simple. It is Dollars. If you don’t have Dollars, your exchange rate goes up. If you have dollars your exchange rate goes down.

“If you lose oil revenues through corruption and pipeline vandalism, your exchange rate goes up. It’s very simple. If Dollar is scarce, then the Naira to buy it will be more. That’s a simple thing.

“Exchange rate is not magic. It is just the availability of Dollars. Once we are able to earn the Dollars the exchange rate will go down.

“And we are hopeful that all of what we are trying to put in place, and with cooperation of all of us. We’ll be able to bring the exchange rate down,” Mr Osinbajo disclosed.

The Acting President also pointed out that Nigerians spent more money to buy Dollars because the currency was scarce and insufficient to go round, triggering the forces of Supply and Demand into play.

He, however, assured that the federal government was putting measures in place to ensure that the diversion of foreign currencies from the National Treasury through corruption, and the vandalization of pipeline facilities that reduce the amount of Dollars accruable to the federal government is brought to end, adding that once the federal government is able to earn more Dollars than it is currently earning, the exchange rate will go down.

Dipo Olowookere

Dipo Olowookere is a journalist based in Nigeria that has passion for reporting business news stories. At his leisure time, he watches football and supports 3SC of Ibadan.

Mr Olowookere can be reached via [email protected]

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