CBN Opens FX Floodgates, BDCs Get Weekly $150K Lifeline to Ease Retail Crunch

By Linda Ike

In a bold move to drown Nigeria’s nagging dollar scarcity and supercharge retail forex access, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has approved licensed Bureau De Change (BDC) operators to dive straight into the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market (NFEM).

The game-changing approval aims to flood the retail segment with much-needed liquidity, ensuring everyday users from small businesses to travelers get legitimate dollar needs met without the black market drama.

BDCs, long sidelined in official channels, can now tap directly into NFEM flows, streamlining supply and potentially taming parallel market premiums that have plagued the naira.

The CBN has also approved that weekly FX purchases by each BDC be capped at USD150,000, and that utilisation comply with existing BDC operational guidelines.

Under the new directive contained in a circular signed by the Director, Trade and Exchange Department, Dr. Musa Nakorji, all BDCs duly licensed by the CBN are permitted to access foreign exchange through any Authorised Dealer Bank of their choice, at the prevailing market rates.

The move, according to the circular, aims to deepen market efficiency and ensure broader access to foreign exchange across the economy.

The CBN, however, imposed strict compliance and risk-management conditions on the transactions. Authorised dealers are required to conduct full Know-Your-Customer (KYC) and due diligence checks on BDC clients before any FX sale.

To strengthen transparency and accountability, the CBN directed that all licensed BDCs must submit timely and accurate electronic returns in line with extant regulations. Any unutilised foreign exchange must be sold back to the market within 24 hours, as BDCs are prohibited from holding FX positions purchased from the NFEM.

The circular further restricts settlement practices, mandating that all FX transactions be conducted through settlement accounts with licensed financial institutions.

Third-party transactions are prohibited, while cash settlement is limited to a maximum of 25 per cent of each transaction amount.

The directive reflects the CBN’s broader strategy to balance market access with strong regulatory oversight, ensuring liquidity in the foreign exchange market while safeguarding financial system integrity.