Nigeria's central bank to sell dollars to airlines, fuel importers

Nigeria's manufacturers, airlines, fuel importers and agriculture businesses will be able to buy dollars at a special market intervention to clear a backlog of foreign exchange obligations now due, the central bank said Wednesday. The central bank plans to settle the bids through a combination of spot and short-term forward deals, currency traders said, citing a notice from the bank. It did not specify the amount of dollars to be sold. "Authorised dealers' accounts with the central bank will be debited in full for the naira equivalent of the dollar bid amount on a spot basis," the bank said in a notice to lenders. <br/>