Nigeria’s foreign exchange market opened on Thursday, February 19, 2026, with the naira recording a mild depreciation against the United States dollar.
At the official window, data from the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market showed the naira opening at ₦1,346.40 per dollar, slightly weaker than the previous session’s close.
Early trading initially hovered around ₦1,340 before adjusting, reflecting steady demand for foreign currency.
Analysts say institutional inflows helped prevent sharper volatility.In contrast, the parallel market continued to trade at a significant premium.
In major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, Bureau De Change operators bought dollars at about ₦1,490, while selling rates ranged between ₦1,505 and ₦1,515.
Prices in this segment remained largely stable over the last 24 hours.
Market watchers note that the wide gap between official and street rates remains a key concern for currency stability and planning.
