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Naira Forecasted to Depreciate to N1,993/USD by 2028, Threatening Nigeria’s Medical Device Market
The Naira is projected to depreciate to N1,993 per US dollar by 2028, according to a new report by BMI Research, a subsidiary of Fitch Solutions.
This forecast highlights the growing challenges Nigeria faces in importing critical medical supplies due to the weakening of its currency and ongoing structural issues within the healthcare system.
The report, titled “Weak Naira and Structural Challenges to Constrain Nigeria’s Medical Devices Market Growth”, indicates that the Naira’s depreciation will significantly affect Nigeria’s medical device sector.
With over 95% of medical devices in the country imported, the weakened Naira will increase import costs and erode the purchasing power of both healthcare providers and patients, especially in a public health sector that is already underfunded.
BMI’s projection sees the Naira falling from its current value of about N1,700 to N1,993 by 2028. Although this marks a relatively modest depreciation, the report suggests that the weakening currency will continue to drive up the cost of medical devices, particularly high-cost products like diagnostics, orthopaedics, and dental equipment.
While the depreciation poses a serious challenge to the medical sector, there is some optimism for local manufacturers. A weaker Naira could make domestically produced medical devices more competitive, potentially stimulating growth in that segment.
Despite the forecasted depreciation, the report predicts a gradual economic rebound, though the medical device market will continue to face operational and demand constraints in the short term.
The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has reportedly declared a strike at Taraba State University over outstanding salary-related demands and delays in payments.
The strike is scheduled to begin today, October 12, 2026. According to the union’s chairman, the union had been engaging the Taraba State Government over its outstanding demands since February 2026.
“The union had exercised considerable patience and demonstrated its commitment to dialogue since February 2026, when it began engaging the Taraba State Government over the outstanding issues,” Mbave said.
“The union had earlier suspended its planned industrial action following an appeal by the government for additional time through the Office of the Head of Civil Service, in the interest of maintaining industrial harmony,” the chairman added.
The Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State, Torseer Yina, has imposed a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the ancient town.
The curfew takes effect from Thursday, October 8, 2026, following unrest and violent protests in the area.
According to reports, the action was taken to contain the unrest and violent protests by members of BEMOA following the death of one of its members by unknown gunmen.
The protest, which was reportedly hijacked by hoodlums, turned violent after an angry mob burnt two vehicles belonging to the Benue State Civil Protection Guards.
The Gboko council chairman said the curfew takes effect immediately and warned that anyone caught flouting the order or breaching public peace would be decisively dealt with.
Nine people have died in a fatal road crash along the Ijebu-Ode-Benin Expressway in Ogun State.
The crash occurred on Monday at about 4:55pm around the Bethel area along the Ijebu-Ode/Ore axis of the expressway. It involved a white Toyota Hiace commercial bus belonging to Delta Line and a white Sino truck operated by Bill Gas Solution Ltd.
According to the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), all nine people involved in the crash, comprising three males and six females, died in the incident.
The FRSC said the crash occurred while it was raining and the road was wet, with preliminary investigations identifying speed violation as the probable cause.
The FRSC rescue team arrived at the scene shortly after receiving the report, while the bodies of the victims were taken to the General Hospital Morgue in Ijebu-Ode.
The Ogun State Sector Commander, Oludare Ogunjobi, urged motorists, especially commercial drivers, to obey speed limits and exercise extra caution when driving in the rain.
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