The naira depreciated further against the United States dollar on Friday, September 18, 2026, with losses recorded in both the official and parallel foreign exchange markets.

Data from the Central Bank of Nigeria showed the naira exchanging at about N1,331 per dollar in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market on Friday.

This figure reflects a slide from the N1,329.56 per dollar quoted on Wednesday, translating to a loss of about N1.44 against the dollar within the official window.

At the parallel market, dollar rates climbed to about N1,375 on Friday, rising from the N1,370 level recorded on Wednesday.

The fresh depreciation stretched the gap between the official and parallel-market rates to roughly N44 per dollar.

Analysts attribute the divergence to differing pricing structures and supply dynamics between the two markets, noting that parallel-market rates typically fluctuate based on location, dealer and the size of a transaction.

Traders and other market watchers say they are keeping a close eye on dollar liquidity levels, foreign exchange demand and CBN intervention activity, all of which continue to shape the naira’s trajectory.

According to a Reuters report published on Thursday, the naira changed hands at around N1,328 per dollar officially and N1,390 on the street, with the report projecting broad stability for the currency on the back of continued central bank dollar sales and comparatively low import demand.

For Nigerians sourcing dollars from the parallel market at the latest rate, $100 would now cost approximately N137,500, while $1,000 would require about N1.375 million.

The gap between the NFEM quotation and the parallel-market rate persists, reinforcing the continuing spread between the two segments of the country’s foreign exchange market.