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The Nigerian naira maintained its position within the ₦1,300 range against the US dollar on Friday, August 21, 2026, as the currency traded around ₦1,349.06/$.
The latest live USD/NGN indication puts the dollar at ₦1,349.06 in the early hours of Friday.
However, the latest official-market figure from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM) showed the dollar at about ₦1,344.45 on Thursday.
Black-market dollar remains above ₦1,400
In the parallel market, the dollar is being sold for approximately ₦1,405, according to the latest August 21 indication from Aboki Forex.
The parallel-market rate is therefore about ₦56 higher than the live rate of ₦1,349.06.
When compared with the latest confirmed NFEM rate of ₦1,344.45, the difference stands at roughly ₦60 per dollar.
Official market records recent gains
The naira has shown signs of improvement in the official market in recent days.
On August 18, the currency strengthened to ₦1,343.32 per dollar amid reports of improved dollar liquidity.
The movement has been less pronounced in the parallel market.
The dollar traded at around ₦1,410 on August 19 before falling to approximately ₦1,404 on August 20.
It later moved slightly higher to ₦1,405 on Friday.
CBN explains how NFEM rate is determined
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) uses a volume-weighted average of transactions to determine the NFEM exchange rate.
The resulting figure serves as the official exchange rate for the day.
Despite the differences between the two markets, the naira’s current position reflects relative stability compared with some recent trading sessions.
Nigerians buying dollars for international travel, school fees, imports, subscriptions or remittances may, however, receive different rates.
The final rate can depend on the financial institution or Bureau de Change operator, location, transaction size and prevailing market conditions.
Exchange rates may also change during the day as demand, supply and dollar liquidity shift.