The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) bought $1.64 billion in overseas change by way of the spot market in the primary half of 2026, with sales peaking at $950.1 million in March.
This is based on the newest CBN Q2 2026 Statistical Bulletin.
The month-to-month figures present that March accounted for roughly 58% of the overall spot sales recorded between January and June.
Sales have been significantly decrease in the opposite months, whereas complete reported overseas change sales, together with transactions throughout different classes, reached about $1.67 billion through the interval.
CBN spot sales peak in March
The CBN’s month-to-month spot sales elevated from $53 million in January to $225.1 million in February earlier than rising sharply in March.
- Spot sales reached $950.1 million in March, the very best month-to-month determine in the six-month interval.
- Sales declined to $100 million in April earlier than growing to $150 million in May.
- The CBN recorded $159.57 million in spot sales in June, bringing the first-half complete to roughly $1.64 billion.
- Sales to Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) amounted to $20.37 million over the identical interval.
The figures present that the CBN’s spot-market exercise was concentrated in March, with month-to-month sales remaining under $226 million in each different month coated by the bulletin.
CBN forex sales stay under 2025 ranges
The first-half figures come after the CBN recorded $8.20 billion in overseas change spot sales in 2025, based on the annual figures in the statistical bulletin.
- Total FX sales throughout all listed classes reached $8.94 billion in 2025, together with $716.10 million in interbank ahead transactions and $26.35 million in sales to MDAs.
- The month-to-month knowledge present that spot sales diverse significantly all through 2025, rising to $1.65 billion in April earlier than falling to $146.70 million in October and recovering to $910.22 million in December.
- The first-half 2026 spot sales determine is due to this fact considerably under the full-year 2025 complete, though the comparability covers six months in opposition to a whole 12 months.
Nairametrics beforehand reported that Nigeria’s complete overseas change demand elevated by 91% to $50.93 billion in 2025, its highest stage in six years.
FX demand and funding flows stay important
Foreign change demand and capital actions proceed to form Nigeria’s foreign money market, with latest knowledge displaying substantial demand from monetary companies and elevated portfolio funding.
- Nairametrics reported that monetary companies accounted for $9.64 billion, or 52.58%, of Nigeria’s complete overseas change utilisation of $18.34 billion in the second quarter of 2026.
- Separately, Nigeria’s portfolio funding rose by 45% to $6.51 billion in the second quarter, based on an earlier report by Nairametrics.
The figures present context for the size of overseas change demand and funding flows through the interval, whereas the CBN knowledge element its reported FX sales throughout completely different channels.
