NBE Completes Delayed $100 Million FX Auction as Demand Tops $236 Million

June 16, 2026

Mintesinot Nigussie

The National Bank of Ethiopia has completed a 100 million US dollar foreign exchange auction after a technical disruption delayed the originally scheduled exercise, with commercial banks seeking more than twice the amount of currency made available.

The special auction, conducted on June 16, attracted bids totalling 236.3 million US dollars from 16 banks, according to results released by the central bank. Eight banks were successful in securing allocations.

The auction was initially planned for June 9 but was postponed after the National Bank cited unforeseen technical issues. The exercise was later rescheduled as the central bank continued its foreign currency allocation programme.

The auction cleared at a marginal exchange rate of 157.9999 birr per US dollar, while the weighted average rate of successful bids stood at 158.0000 birr per US dollar. The highest accepted bid was 158.0000 birr per US dollar, while the lowest was 157.9900 birr per US dollar.

The latest allocation comes as banks continue to compete for access to foreign currency through the auction system. The NBE said the next foreign exchange auction will be conducted according to the previously announced schedule.