Nigeria’s foreign reserves fell to $32.29 billion on 15 April, the lowest in over six years.
According to the latest data from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the reserves moved from $34.44 billion, the highest level in 2024, to $32.2 billion on 15 April.
The foreign reserves dropped by $2.15 billion or 6.26 per cent.
This brings to an end, a period of steady increase between 5 February and 18 March, when the FX reserves rose by $1.28 billion.
CBN had attributed the growth to increased remittance payments from Nigerians abroad and heightened interest from foreign investors in local assets, including government debt securities.
The last time the foreign reserves stood at this level ($32.29 billion) was on 9 September 2017, when the CBN reported N32.28 billion.
The decline in foreign reserves comes amid CBN’s intervention in the parallel market in a bid to crash the FX rate.
On 27 February, the apex bank allocated $20,000 to each bureau de change (BDC) operator at the rate of N1,301/$, while the second tranche of $10,000 was sold to the BDCs at the rate of N1,251/$.
On 8 April, the apex bank began the third tranche of sales to BDCs at N1,101/$.
Amid this intervention, the naira appreciated against the dollar in the parallel market, moving from N1,900 per dollar on 21 February 21k(u<y, to N1,100/$ on 13 April.
