Economy
Best Time to Trade Forex in Nigeria
If you wonder when it’s best to trade Forex to get the best results and what the best hours to maximize your returns are, this article is for you. Read on to get the answers to these questions and find out the best trading hours.
While it can be a matter of personal preferences when to trade, and you can allocate your time depending on your daily schedule, let’s see when it’s best to enter the market to make higher profits and when it’s best to keep off trading.
Best days to trade Forex
You may have noticed that on some particular days, markets move more actively than on others. Take a look at the table below and check out the average volatility in pips for three major currency pairs (EUR/USD, GBP/USD, USD/JPY) depending on the business day:
As we can see, all three pairs register the highest volatility on Tuesday and Wednesday. With that in mind, we recommend entering the market during periods of high market volatility. This way, you’ll be able to take advantage of more trading opportunities and maximize your profit even if you are using a trading bot.
Trading sessions
Now that we’ve figured out the best trading days, let’s talk about the most favourable trading time. Trading in the foreign exchange market takes place 24 hours a day five days a week. However, currency pairs can move at a different pace at different times. Although Forex is a decentralized market, a significant amount of money comes from banks, and they stick to a certain schedule.
Forex trading sessions can be divided into four major groups:
- North American (New York)
- Asian (Tokyo)
- European (London)
- Pacific (Sydney)
At the beginning of every session, the currencies are gaining momentum:
During the European session, all pairs containing the euro and the pound sterling demonstrate high volatility, with EUR/USD, EUR/GBP and EUR/CHF showing the largest trading volumes. Very often, the trend can commence in the European trading session and continue into the American session.
In the American session, the pairs containing the US dollar are on the rise: EUR/USD, USD/CHF and USD/JPY. During this time, the Canadian dollar, the USD/CAD pair, comes to life. During the American session, the trend may reverse. Besides, important economic reports are generally released in the evening. Those can trigger volatility spikes in currency pairs that include the US dollar.
In the Asian and Pacific session, the pairs containing the Japanese yen and NZD/USD are especially active. Throughout the night session, the market is tranquil since US and European banks are closed. The volatility is low, so the price often fails to gain momentum and break any key levels. So, the market is usually flat with the price trading within the range. For this reason, most traders prefer not to trade at night.
Best intervals for day trading
9.20 – 9.50 – The beginning of the European session. Trading volume is significant. While this trading interval offers a lot of trading opportunities, it’s highly risky as well. If you are a novice trader, we suggest that you don’t rush into the market at this point. Wait till the volatility settles a bit.
9.40 – 10.10 – Trading volumes are still significant, the quotes are moving fast, liquidity is sufficient. Now that the situation has already stabilized, it’s the perfect time to enter the market and place your orders.
10.25 – 11.10 – Volatility decreases, market participants lock in their profits and close their trades. This time interval is the best to start scheduling your next trades.
11.15 – 14.15 – Most breakouts occurring during this period are very inaccurate. Prices start moving sideways. Feel free to take a break. It’s best that you refrain from trading at this time.
14.10 – 15.25 – Most trends have already formed. There’s no sense in opening your trades now. But if you do, trade with the trend and be vigilant. Around 15:30, the trend may pause or even reverse.
15.20 -16.00 – The last 30 minutes of the day session, major market participants start adjusting their portfolios. It may seem that high volatility can bring you some good profits, we’d recommend staying on the safe side as the trading environment is too unpredictable now. Avoiding and managing risks is part of smart trading, remember?
All in all: The usual best trading time is 8 a.m. to 12 a.m. – it’s when trading hours of the New York and London exchanges overlap. These two trading hubs account for more than 50% of all Forex transactions.
When you SHOULD NOT trade
It’s funny how everyone is looking for the best time to trade. And few people think when it gets too risky to trade and when it’s better to avoid the market. It’s highly undesirable that you enter the market on:
- By the end of the week, we all get tired and tend to make illogical decisions. It can be hard to predict market behaviour at the end of the week. Friday is one of those days when the majority of traders suffer losses. Some traders lock in their profits to safely leave for the weekend. Others, on the contrary, jump into the market to make quick money. Prices start going up and down, especially in the afternoon, which can result in substantial losses.
- Banks are usually closed on holidays, market activity is low. On holidays, the risk of losing your deposit increases. You might be hoping for a spike in prices after the holidays, but the market likes to make adjustments. And they are usually not in your favour.
- News releases. We are going to offer you some obvious advice that no one takes anyway: do not trade the news. You can’t predict with 100% accuracy where the price will move after the release of significant news, a statement or a report. At this point, the price movement is often chaotic. So, we recommend exiting the market 1.5 hours before the publication. Refrain from trading for about the same amount of time after the news is released.
Summing up
While Forex is open around the clock, all traders are human beings who need their rest. That’s why it’s essential to know the trading sessions schedule and market hours that determine volatility peaks. Enter the market when it demonstrates a strong momentum. This way, you’ll be able to monitor price developments better and identify trading instruments with the highest profit potential.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The National Insurance Commission has issued new guidelines for the collection, management, and administration of the Insurance Policyholders’ Protection Fund.
In a circular issued to all insurance institutions on Tuesday, the regulator also set May 31, 2026, as the deadline for insurers to submit their assessment returns for the 2025 financial year.
Recall that on August 5, 2025, President Bola Tinubu signed into law the Nigerian Insurance Industry Reform Act ( NIIRA 2025).
This landmark legislation repeals the Insurance Act 2003, and consolidates related provisions, ushering in a modern regulatory framework. It lays a strong foundation for sustainable growth and increased investment in the country’s insurance sector.
The commission said the guidelines were issued in exercise of its powers under the 2025 Act and other existing insurance laws and regulations to provide regulatory clarity, improve guidance, and ensure ease of compliance across the industry.
According to NAICOM, the guidelines establish a comprehensive structure for the operation of the IPPF, which serves as a statutory safety net to protect insurance policyholders in the event of distress or insolvency of a licensed insurer or reinsurer. The framework also provides direction on the reimbursement of loans by insurers and reinsurers.
NAICOM stated, “The guidelines ensure regulatory clarity, guidance and ease of compliance, as it provides a comprehensive regulatory framework for the collection, management, and administration of the Fund, which serves as a statutory safety net designed to protect insurance policyholders against distress and insolvency of a licensed insurer or reinsurer, including guidance for the reimbursement of loans by an insurer or reinsurer.
“Please be informed that the IPPF Assessment Returns in respect of the year 2025 shall be submitted to the Commission not later than 31st May 2026, while subsequent submissions shall be in line with Section 4.3 of the Guideline on Insurance Policyholders Protection Fund.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Dangote Refinery on Wednesday returned the petrol price to N1,200 per litre, less than 24 hours after it increased it by 5 per cent.
The private refinery had raised the ex-depot price by N75 on Tuesday, citing pressure from volatile global oil markets, but quickly brought it back to N1,200 per litre from N1,275 per litre.
The swift downward review is directly linked to a sharp drop in international crude prices. Brent crude has plunged to $95.05 per barrel, after a 13 per cent decline, while the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude closed at $97.18, recording nearly a 14 per cent drop.
This development comes after US President Donald Trump announced a conditional two-week ceasefire with Iran, which eased fears of immediate supply disruptions in the global oil market.
“This will be a double-sided CEASEFIRE!” Trump said on social media, marking a sharp reversal from his earlier warning that “a whole civilisation will die tonight” if Iran failed to comply with US demands.
Iran’s Foreign Minister, Mr Abbas Araqchi, confirmed that the country would halt attacks provided strikes against Iran cease and transit through the Strait of Hormuz is coordinated by Iranian forces.
Despite the breakthrough, tensions remain elevated across the region, with several Gulf states reporting missile launches, drone activity, or issuing civil defence warnings.
While oil prices have fallen back below $100, they remain significantly elevated after surging by a record amount in March. Market analysts noted that regardless of how successful the ceasefire is, geopolitical risk related to the Strait of Hormuz is likely to remain elevated for the foreseeable future under the control of Iran.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Crude oil deliveries from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited to the Dangote Petroleum Refinery doubled in March, boosting prospects for improved fuel availability.
This was revealed by the chief executive of Dangote Industries Limited, Mr Aliko Dangote, on Tuesday, when he received the Deputy Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mrs Amina Mohammed, at the industrial complex in Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos.
While speaking on feedstock supply, Mr Dangote commended the NNPC for increasing crude deliveries to the refinery in March, noting that volumes rose to 10 cargoes—six supplied in Naira and four in Dollars—to support domestic fuel availability, according to a statement by the Refinery.
“Last month, they gave us six cargoes for Naira and four cargoes for Dollars,” he said.
Despite the improvement, Mr Dangote noted that the supply remains below the 19 cargoes required for optimal operations, with the refinery continuing to bridge the gap through imports from the United States and other African producers.
He also expressed concern over the unwillingness of international oil companies operating in Nigeria to sell to the refinery, stating that their preference for selling crude to traders forces it to repurchase at higher costs, with broader implications for the economy.
Mr Dangote added that the refinery is seeking increased access to domestically priced crude under local currency arrangements as part of efforts to moderate fuel costs and enhance long-term energy and food security across the continent.
On her part, Mrs Mohammed underscored the strategic importance of Dangote Industries Limited -particularly Dangote Fertiliser Limited—in addressing Africa’s mounting food security challenges, while calling for stronger global partnerships to scale its impact.
Mrs Mohammed said the United Nations would prioritise amplifying scalable solutions capable of mitigating the continent’s food crisis, describing Dangote’s integrated industrial model as a critical pathway.
“I think the UN’s job here is to amplify and to put visibility on the possibilities of mitigating a food security crisis, and this is one of them,” she said. “I hope that when we go back, we can continue to engage partners and countries that should collaborate with Dangote Industries.”
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