Nigeria's central bank sold $80.90 million at 146.70 naira to the U.S. dollar at its twice-weekly forex auction on Monday, slightly below the $86.85 million demanded by end-users, traders said on Tuesday.
The regulator had sold $70.06 million at 146.70 naira per dollar on Thursday, less than the $72.98 million demanded.
The naira gained at the interbank, trading at 148.50 naira to the dollar against 148.70 naira previously.
Dealers said corporate demand for the dollar continued to mount at the interbank, but dollar inflows from oil majors had ceased.
The central bank replaced its daily auctions with bi-weekly trading on May 25 after removing forex market controls imposed in mid-March to conserve Nigeria's falling foreign reserves and stem a sharp decline in the local currency.
The easing of the forex restrictions allows retails banks to buy dollars from oil firms and government agencies and then sell them on the interbank market.
Nigerian lenders are still forbidden from selling dollars purchased from the central bank on the interbank market.