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Nigeria’s Naira, Alongside Ethiopia and South Sudan, Ranked Among Africa’s Worst-Performing Currencies
Nigeria’s currency, the naira, has been ranked among the worst-performing currencies in Africa, alongside the Ethiopian birr and South Sudanese pound. The ranking, which has raised concerns among financial experts and citizens alike, highlights the ongoing economic challenges facing these countries, particularly in managing currency stability and inflation.
The naira’s decline has been attributed to a combination of factors, including rising inflation, dwindling foreign reserves, and a high demand for foreign currency, particularly the US dollar. Over the past year, the naira has experienced significant depreciation against major global currencies, further weakening the purchasing power of Nigerians and contributing to a rise in the cost of living. The currency’s poor performance has led to heightened inflation, especially in the cost of imported goods and services.
Ethiopia and South Sudan are facing similar economic pressures. The Ethiopian birr has struggled under the weight of political instability and high inflation, while South Sudan’s economy, which is largely dependent on oil exports, has been hampered by low production and internal conflict. Both countries, like Nigeria, are grappling with the effects of external debt, declining foreign investment, and global economic pressures.
Analysts have noted that for Nigeria, addressing the naira’s poor performance requires a combination of strong fiscal policies, increased domestic production, and a more diversified economy. The Central Bank of Nigeria has implemented several measures, including the unification of exchange rates and restrictions on forex access for certain imports, but the desired impact on currency stabilization has yet to be fully realized.
In conclusion, the naira’s ranking as one of the worst-performing currencies in Africa underscores the need for comprehensive economic reforms to restore confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and improve overall currency stability.
TV anchor Rufai Oseni makes headlines as he speaks on fuel subsidy in Nigeria. He shared that Nigeria can have fuel subsidy without the long queues at filling stations.
“When we were still paying subsidies, there were no long queues. We were subsidising. So you can still have a subsidy regime going on, and there will be no long queues because production was close by. Dangote had it. That’s just it. That argument also falls flat.
“The biggest beneficiaries of subsidy are not Nigerians. They are crony capitalists that have big infrastructure, and they do contracts. They have been the biggest beneficiaries of the subsidy,” he said.
Lagos State Governor, Sanwo-Olu, speaks to those in the electricity sector about the usual blackouts in the state.
He speaks on ways things can change in the state and how electricity can be provided.
“We need to drop corporate egos, abandon long-standing excuses, and confront the harsh realities obstructing progress in the power sector.”
“We, state governments, used to give excuses that everything is centralised, so the Federal Government has unbundled it now. What have we done in a year and a half?” Sanwo-Olu asked.
“We take two steps forward, we go five steps backward,” he said.
Lagos State Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has declared Thursday, August 20, a work-free day for public servants in the state to mark the Isese Festival.
Speaking on the celebration, he said “Ìṣẹ̀ṣe is not a relic. It is a living expression of our traditions and a celebration of Yoruba spirituality as an important part of Nigeria’s cultural and religious landscape,” he said.
He added “When the drums sound in Lagos on Thursday, they answer drums in Havana, in Salvador, in Port of Spain. Fifty-five million people and counting. Lagos is not observing a local holiday. Lagos is standing at the centre of a global heritage,” Aregbe said.
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