The Nigerian naira opened the first full trading day of 2026 on a stable note across both the official and parallel foreign exchange markets, signalling a calm start to the year.
Data from the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market showed the naira trading at about ₦1,446.62 to the US dollar in the official window as of the morning of January 2, 2026.
The steady performance reflects a gradual recovery recorded over recent months, following reforms by the Central Bank of Nigeria aimed at improving transparency and price discovery.
In the parallel market, the naira exchanged at slightly weaker levels, driven largely by retail demand and cash transactions.
However, market operators noted that the gap between official and black market rates has narrowed significantly.
Analysts attribute this trend to improved liquidity management, stable foreign reserves, and continued support from oil earnings.
Attention is now turning to the first Monetary Policy Committee meeting of 2026 for signals on interest rates and inflation management.
