Nigeria experienced substantial year-on-year declines in exchange rate gain revenue from April to June 2025, with decreases of 90%, 81%, and 85% respectively

  • Nigeria’s exchange rate gain revenue dropped by 73.2% in H1 2025 compared to H1 2024.
  • In April 2025, exchange rate gain fell by 90% year-on-year from ₦285.5B to ₦28.7B.
  • May saw an 81% drop, with revenue declining from ₦438.9B in 2024 to ₦81.4B in 2025.
  • January 2025 was the only month with a stable figure, matching January 2024’s ₦402.7B.
  • Exchange rate gain revenue for February and March 2025 was unavailable, likely worsening the total.
  • The first half of 2025 generated only ₦589.4B in FX gains, compared to ₦2.2T in the same period in 2024.

Nigeria experienced a significant decline in revenue from exchange rate gains in the first half of 2025, dropping from ₦2.2 trillion in H1 2024 to just ₦589.4 billion—a 73.2% decrease. This collapse was most pronounced in the second quarter of 2025, where year-on-year comparisons showed sharp contractions of 90%, 81%, and 85% in April, May, and June, respectively, while January held steady at ₦402.7 billion.

This means that, in April 2024, Nigeria earned ₦285.5 billion in exchange rate gains. A year later, it earned only ₦28.7 billion. May followed the same pattern, plunging from ₦438.9 billion to ₦81.4 billion. And in June, revenue further collapsed from ₦507.5 billion to ₦76.6 billion.

Source:

CBN

Period:

Jan-Jun 2025
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Total FAAC revenue shared in Nigeria consistently grew year-on-year from February to June 2025, with increases ranging from 39% to 49%
  • Nigeria’s FAAC revenue increased 49% YoY in March 2025 (₦1.68T vs ₦1.12T in March 2024).
  • February 2025 saw a 48% increase YoY (₦1.70T vs ₦1.15T in February 2024).
  • April 2025 revenue rose by 41% YoY, moving from ₦1.12T in April 2024 to ₦1.58T.
  • January 2025 showed no YoY change, recording ₦1.42T in both 2024 and 2025.
  • The consistent growth in H1 2025 FAAC revenues signals improved government revenue mobilisation, better oil/non-oil collections, and higher capacity for states to meet obligations.

East Africa is heavily represented among the weakest African currencies in 2024, with Somalia leading at 28,118.33 SOS per US$
  • Eight East African nations made the list of the top 15 worst African currencies.
  • Somalia has the weakest African currency in 2024, with an exchange rate of 28,118.33 SOS per US$.
  • Guinea, with 8,613.26 GNF per US$, has the second weakest currency, but is still far behind Somalia.
  • Madagascar, Uganda, and Zimbabwe follow, each with exchange rates between 3,200 and 4,500 LCU per US$.
  • Nigeria’s currency traded at 1,478.97 Naira per US$, about 20 times stronger than Somalia's currency.
  • Despite economic turmoil, South Sudan’s currency remained below 2,200 SSP per US$, performing better than Somalia and Guinea.
  • The gap between Somalia and the rest of Africa’s currencies highlights extreme economic pressures unique to the Somali economy in 2024.

Nigeria's naira depreciated by 129% in 2024, hitting an average of 1,479 NGN per US$
  • The Nigerian naira depreciated by a record-breaking 129.23% in 2024, the highest drop in the last decade.
  • From 2015 to 2022, the naira's depreciation was relatively controlled, rarely exceeding 20% year-on-year.
  • The exchange rate remained nearly flat from 2017 to 2019, showing signs of stability.
  • In 2023, the naira lost over half its value (51.46%), marking the beginning of the current volatility wave.
  • The exchange rate crossed the ₦1,000/$ threshold in 2024 for the first time in history.

Somalia's official exchange rate (SOS per US$) has generally trended upwards from 2015 to 2024, reaching 28,118.33 SOS per US$
  • Somalia’s currency has depreciated by 26.4% between 2015 and 2024.
  • The sharpest yearly depreciation was in 2019, at 4.64%.
  • From 2020 to 2021, the SOS saw its smallest year-on-year shift at 1.08%.
  • Despite fluctuations, every year from 2015 to 2024 recorded a net increase in SOS per US$.
  • 2017 recorded near-stable currency performance with just a 0.16% change from the previous year.

North Africa dominates the strongest African currencies in 2024, with Tunisia taking the lead at TND 3.11/USD
  • Tunisia held the top spot with the strongest African currency, trading at 3.11 TND per USD in 2024.
  • Libya followed as the second-strongest, with an exchange rate of 4.83 LYD per USD.
  • Morocco maintained a strong regional position, with its dirham trading at 9.94 MAD per USD.
  • Botswana’s pula was relatively stable, exchanging at 13.56 per USD, highlighting Southern Africa’s economic steadiness.
  • Ghana and Seychelles had closely matched exchange rates, trading at 14.48 and 14.53 to the dollar, respectively.
  • South Africa, Lesotho, Namibia, and Eswatini all shared almost identical exchange rates of around 18.32–18.33 per USD, showing tight regional monetary coordination.

After a period of fluctuation, Tunisia's currency has demonstrated a stabilised exchange rate since 2022 at around 3.11 TND per US$
  • The Tunisian dinar stood at TND 2.15 per US$ in 2016 and has since depreciated to TND 3.11 per US$ in 2024.
  • Between 2016 and 2019, the dinar saw a strong depreciation.
  • 2020 marked a turning point with a 4.16% appreciation, the first notable currency strengthening in the period observed.
  • From 2022 onward, the exchange rate has stabilised closely around TND 3.10 to TND 3.11 per US$, with minimal yearly changes of 0.08% and 0.04%.
  • The largest year-on-year depreciation occurred in 2017 with a 12.63% change.
  • Despite the earlier years of high volatility, Tunisia’s currency performance in the last three years suggests better monetary management and external stability.

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