Economy

FX platform: CBN sets $100,000 minimum trade for banks

Published

7 months ago

November 27, 2024

The Central Bank of Nigeria has issued fresh guidelines for interbank foreign exchange trading via the Electronic Foreign Exchange Matching System, mandating a minimum trade value of $100,000.

The directive, dated 25 November 2024 and signed by Dr Omolara Duke, CBN’s Director of the Financial Markets Department, is part of efforts to ensure transparency, efficiency, and compliance within Nigeria’s FX market.

According to a new set of guidelines released by the CBN on Tuesday, the EFEMS is designed to streamline interbank FX trading, reduce counterparty risks, and ensure adherence to CBN regulations.

The apex bank has designated Bloomberg’s BMatch as the official order-matching platform for interbank transactions, with trading hours set between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm West Africa Time on business days.

One notable provision in the guidelines is the enforcement of a $100,000 minimum tradable amount, with incremental clip sizes of $50,000.

The EFEMS is also limited to spot FX transactions involving the Nigerian naira and the United States dollar.

The CBN, however, retains the discretion to introduce other currency pairs when deemed necessary.

The guidelines document read, “All trades consummated on EFEMS are binding unless canceled by mutual agreement of both parties with written approval from the CBN.

“The minimum tradable amount is US$100,000.00, with incremental clip sizes of US$50,000.00.

“Participants must set credit and settlement limits for other counterparties in the system. Transactions exceeding these limits will not be executed.

“Participants must have adequate credit and settlement limits set for the CBN as its counterparty bank.

“Participants are required to comply with the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Code and other CBN regulations.”

Participation in the EFEMS is limited to authorised dealer banks licensed by the CBN, while other institutions wishing to join the platform must first obtain prior approval.

Participants are also required to execute agreements with the CBN-approved platform provider, maintain accurate profiles, and operate within prescribed credit and settlement limits.

Withdrawal from the platform must be preceded by a 30-day notice, along with the resolution of any outstanding obligations.

Also, trades conducted via the platform will remain anonymous until matched. Counterparty details will only be revealed once transactions are concluded, in line with settlement protocols.

Transactions exceeding set limits or conducted outside EFEMS parameters must be reported promptly and logged onto the FX blotter within 10 minutes.

The CBN emphasised that it will closely monitor all transactions on EFEMS to ensure market integrity and transparency.

Participants are required to submit daily reports detailing trade volumes, settlement statuses, and counterparties.

The central bank also reserves the right to publish aggregated or disaggregated trade data for market analysis, subject to confidentiality agreements.

Any violations of the EFEMS guidelines or related regulations will attract strict penalties, including the suspension or revocation of access rights.

The CBN further stated that it will periodically review the platform’s operations to ensure efficiency and compliance with its directives.

In a separate document on Tuesday, the CBN announced that the Bloomberg BMatch system will officially go live as the EFEMS for foreign exchange trading on December 2, 2024.

The CBN outlined that all authorised dealers and banks in the interbank FX market are required to deploy the Bloomberg BMatch system for their trading activities.

The system aims to ensure uniformity and seamless trading among market participants while enabling the CBN to effectively monitor market performance and data management.

The central bank urged banks to liaise with Bloomberg representatives to expedite the onboarding process and address any technical or operational issues promptly.

Related Topics:CBN Dollar Naira Nigeria Nigerian

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Economy

FG Orders Banks to Report Monthly Transactions Over N5 Million to FIRS Starting 2026

Published

16 hours ago

July 9, 2025

Admin

Beginning in January 2026, every bank in Nigeria will have to report any account that sees more than ₦5 million in monthly transactions to the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

This initiative is part of a new tax law designed to enhance tax compliance and broaden the country’s revenue base. However, Nigerians are already voicing their concerns:

“Isn’t this just another surveillance law dressed up as reform?” “Why not focus on tracking corrupt officials instead of putting pressure on honest business owners?”

While the FIRS argues that this is a step towards combating tax evasion, critics worry it could lead to harassment of small businesses, compromise financial privacy, and add more red tape in an already challenging economic landscape.

Will this change affect you or someone you know? What will it mean for the average entrepreneur, freelancer, or small to medium-sized enterprise?

Economy

SEE Dollar To Naira Exchange Rate Today, Monday, July 7, 2025

Published

2 days ago

July 7, 2025

ADMIN

The naira opened trading on Monday, July 7, 2025, with slight volatility against the US dollar across both official and unofficial foreign exchange markets. Market watchers report moderate shifts in buying and selling prices as forex supply remains constrained.

The dollar exchanged at an average rate of ₦1,547.70 per $1 on major online currency platforms early today, reflecting fluctuations in demand and supply dynamics over the past week.

Official Market Rate As of Monday morning, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was yet to update its official foreign exchange rate for the day. However, in recent weeks, the CBN rate has hovered close to market-driven benchmarks, following ongoing reforms in the forex regime.

Previous CBN NFEM benchmark: ₦1,523–₦1,530 per USD Today’s unofficial online average: ₦1,547.70 per USD The Federal Government continues to implement monetary policies aimed at stabilising the exchange rate amid inflation and declining external reserves.

Parallel Market and Black Market Rates in parts of Lagos, Abuja, Kano, and Port Harcourt, the dollar traded on the parallel market between ₦1,560 and ₦1,580, depending on volume and location

Currency dealers at Lagos’ Ikeja and Abuja’s Wuse Zone 4 reported: Buy Rate: ₦1,555–₦1,565 per USD Sell Rate: ₦1,570–₦1,580 per USD Traders attribute this spread to speculative hoarding and limited dollar availability from official sources. Bureau De Change (BDC) Rate Update Some Bureau De Change operators confirmed that rates remained high, particularly as importers and students continue to seek forex for essential payments.

BDC Buy Rate: ₦1,550 BDC Sell Rate: ₦1,575

Operators expressed concern over delays in accessing FX from authorized dealer banks, noting this was contributing to price inflation across consumer goods and services. Online Platform Rates (Mid-Market) Currency tracking platforms such as Wise and Exiap pegged the mid-market exchange rate at ₦1,547.70 per US dollar as of 9:00 am WAT today. Wise Rate: ₦1,547.70/USD Exiap Rate: ₦1,547.70/USD Average Weekly Range: ₦1,529 – ₦1,543 Monthly Average: ₦1,550 These rates are typically used for digital money transfers and are often slightly lower than physical market rates due to minimal markup.

Summary Table – July 7, 2025 Market Segment Buy (₦) Sell (₦) CBN Official Rate N/A N/A Parallel Market 1,555 1,580 Bureau De Change (BDC) 1,550 1,575 Online Transfer Rate 1,547.70 1,547.70 What’s Driving the Rate? Analysts attribute today’s naira depreciation to: –

Limited forex inflow from oil exports and remittances. Persistent inflation, currently over 30%, eroding currency value. Demand pressure from importers, students, and travelers.

The Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) has urged the federal government to improve dollar liquidity by diversifying revenue and boosting exports. Forex Forecast Experts predict that unless the CBN intervenes with fresh liquidity or Nigeria records higher foreign inflows, the naira may continue to depreciate gradually in both official and parallel markets. Investors and traders are advised to monitor market movements closely and make use of reliable transfer platforms offering competitive exchange rates.

Economy

Naira shows sign of slight recovery

Published

1 week ago

June 30, 2025

ADMIN

Market data from forex tracking platforms such as ExchangeRate.guru and CBN’s authorized dealers show that: Today’s exchange rate: ₦1,543.74 per USD Previous close (Friday, June 27): ₦1,546.90 Month start (June 1): ₦1,588.26 Change since month start: ₦44.52 gain (2.88%) –

Despite gains in the official market, the black market (parallel market) continues to show a different trend. As of this morning: –

– Black Market Rate (Lagos): ₦1,590 – ₦1,620 per dollar Bureau De Change (BDC) rate: ₦1,580 – ₦1,600 per dollar TJ News Nigeria gathered that while the official rate is stabilising, street traders in major cities like Lagos, Abuja, and Port Harcourt report increased scarcity of USD, leading to slightly higher rates.