| Nigerian naira | |||
|---|---|---|---|
|
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| ISO 4217 code | NGN | ||
| User(s) | Nigeria | ||
| Inflation | 6.5% | ||
| Source | The World Factbook, 2007 est. | ||
| Subunit | |||
| 1/100 | kobo | ||
| Symbol | ₦ | ||
| Plural | naira | ||
| kobo | kobo | ||
| Coins | ½, 1, 5, 10, 25, 50 kobo, 1 & 2 naira | ||
| Banknotes | 5, 10, 20, 50, 100, 200, 500 & 1000 naira | ||
| Central bank | Central Bank of Nigeria | ||
| Website | www.cenbank.org | ||
| Printer | Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited | ||
| Website | www.mintnigeria.com | ||
| Mint | Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company Limited | ||
| Website | www.mintnigeria.com | ||
The naira (sign: ₦; code: NGN) is the currency of Nigeria. It is subdivided into 100 kobo.
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the sole issuer of legal tender money throughout the Federation. It controls the volume of money supply in the economy in order to ensure monetary and price stability. The Currency & Branch Operations Department of the CBN is in charge of currency management, through the procurement, distribution/supply, processing, reissue and disposal/disintegration of bank notes and coins.
Contents |
The naira was introduced in 1973, replacing the pound at a rate of 2 naira = 1 pound. This made Nigeria the last country to abandon the £sd currency system. There was a plan to redenominate the naira at 1 new naira = 100 old naira in 2008, but the plan has been suspended. The currency sign is U+20A6 ₦ naira sign.
In 1973, coins were introduced in denominations of ½, 1, 5, 10 and 25 kobo, with the ½ and 1 kobo in bronze and the higher denomnations in cupro-nickel. The ½ kobo coins were only minted that year. In 1991, smaller 1, 10 and 25 kobo coins were issued in copper-plated-steel, along with nickel-plated-steel 50 kobo and 1 naira. On 28 February 2007, new coins were issued in denominations of 50 kobo, 1 and 2 naira, with the 1 and 2 naira bimetallic. Some Nigerians expressed concerns over the usability of the N2 coin.[1] The deadline for exchanging the old currency was set at 31 May 2007.[2] The central bank stated that the ½ to 25 kobo coins were withdrawn from circulation with effect from 28 February 2007.
In 1973, the Central Bank of Nigeria introduced notes for 50 kobo, 1, 5, 10 and 20 naira. The 50 kobo notes were last issued in 1989. In 1991, 50 naira notes were issued, followed by 100 naira in 1999, 200 naira in 2000, 500 naira in 2001 and 1000 naira on October 12, 2005.
On February 28, 2007, new versions of the 5 to 50 naira banknotes were introduced. Originally the 10, 20 and 50 naira were to be polymer banknotes,[4] but the 5,10 and 50 were delayed to late 2009 and only the 20 was released in polymer. The notes are slightly smaller (130 x 23 mm) and redesigned from the preceding issues. In mid 2009 when Sanusi Lamido Sanusi took over as CBN Governor he eventually changed the 5, 10 and 50 naira to polymer notes.
On the 1000 naira notes, there is a subtle shiny strip running down the back of the note. It is a shimmery gold colour showing 1000 naira. The triangular shape in the middle of the front of the note changes its colour from green to blue when tilted. The main feature on the front is the engraved portraits of Alhaji Aliyu Mai-Bornu and Dr Clement Isong, former governors of the Central Bank of Nigeria.
On the first prints of the 100 naira notes issued starting December 1, 1999, Zuma Rock was captioned as located in Federal Capital Territory, while actually it is situated in Niger State. Later prints removed the reference to FCT, ABUJA.[5]
The naira was scheduled for redenomination in August 2008, although this was cancelled by then-President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua[6]), with 100 old naira to become 1 new naira. The Nigerian Central Bank stated that it will make the naira fully convertible against foreign currencies by 2009. Currently, the amount of foreign currency is regulated through weekly auctions, while the Central Bank sets the exchange rate. The naira appreciated against the dollar through 2007 due to high oil revenues. Also, the then-Bank Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo noted the weekly central bank auctions of foreign currency will gradually be phased out, and that the bank would "only intervene in the market as may be required to achieve defined policy objectives".[7]
Coins were to be issued in denominations of:
Banknotes were to be printed in denominations of:
This table shows the historical value of one U.S. Dollar in Nigerian naira - PM = Parallel Market.
| Date | Naira per US $ | Date | Naira per US $ |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | 0.658 | 1991 | 8.04 (9.30 PM) |
| 1973 | 0.658 | 1992 | 9.91 |
| 1974 | 0.63 | 1993 | 17.30 (21.90 PM) |
| 1975 | 0.616 | 1994 | 22.33 (56.80 PM) |
| 1976 | 0.62 | 1995 | 21.89 (71.70 PM) |
| 1977 | 0.647 | 1996 | 21.89 (84.58 PM) |
| 1978 | 0.606 | 1997 | 21.89 (84.58 PM) |
| 1979 | 0.596 | 1998 | 21.89 (84.70 PM) |
| 1980 | 0.550 (0.900 PM) | 1999 | 21.89 (88-90 PM) |
| 1981 | 0.61 | 2000 | 85.98 (105.00 PM) |
| 1982 | 0.673 | 2001 | 99-106 (104-122 PM) |
| 1983 | 0.724 | 2002 | 109-113 (122-140 PM) |
| 1984 | 0.765 | 2003 | 114-127 (135-137 PM) |
| 1985 | 0.894 (1.70 PM) | 2004 | 127-130 (137-144 PM) |
| 1986 | 2.02 (3.90 PM) | 2005 | 132-136 |
| 1987 | 4.02 (5.90 PM) | 2006 | 128.50-131.80 |
| 1988 | 4.54 (6.70 PM) | 2007 | 120-125 |
| 1989 | 7.39 (10.70 PM) | 2008 | 115.50-120 |
| 1990 | 7.39 (10.70 PM) | 2009 | 145-171 |
| Current NGN exchange rates | |
|---|---|
| From Google Finance: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY |
| From Yahoo! Finance: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY |
| From OzForex: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY |
| From XE.com: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY |
| From OANDA.com: | AUD CAD CHF EUR GBP HKD JPY USD CNY |
| Currently Circulating Banknotes [1] | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1999–2005 Series | |||||||||
| Image | Value | Dimensions | Main Colour | Description | Date of | ||||
| Obverse | Reverse | Obverse | Reverse | Watermark | first printing | issue | |||
| [2] | ₦100 | 151 × 78 mm | Red and multicolour | Chief Obafemi Awolowo | Zuma Rock | As portrait(s), "CBN", value | 1999 | 1 December 1999 | |
| [3] | ₦200 | Blue and multicolour | Sir Ahmadu Bello | Pyramid of agricultural commodity and livestock farming | 2000 | 1 November 2000 | |||
| [4] | ₦500 | Purple and multicolour | Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe | Off-shore oil-rig | 2001 | 4 April 2001 | |||
| [5] | ₦1000 | Purple | Alhaji Aliyu Mai-Bornu, Dr. Clement Isong | CBN's corporate headquarters in Abuja | 2005 | 12 October 2005 | |||
| 2006 Series | |||||||||
| [6] | ₦5 | 130 × 72 mm | Mauve | Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa | Nkpokiti dancers | Central Bank of Nigeria logo, "CBN" | 2006 | 28 February 2007 | |
| [7] | ₦10 | Red | Mr. Alvan Ikoku | Fulani milk maids | |||||
| [8] | ₦20 | Green | General Murtala Mohammed | Ladi Kwali | |||||
| [9] | ₦50 | Blue | Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba men and a woman | Local fishermen | |||||
| These images are to scale at 0.7 pixels per millimeter. For table standards, see the banknote specification table. | |||||||||
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