naira

American

[nahy-ruh] / ˈnaɪ rə /

noun

a paper money and monetary unit of Nigeria, equal to 100 kobo: replaced the pound in 1973.

naira British

/ ˈnaɪrə /

noun

the standard monetary unit of Nigeria, divided into 100 kobo

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of naira

C20: altered from _Nigeria

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

As part of the reconstruction and recovery activities, Borno has requested an additional 61bn naira to rebuild damaged infrastructure, including bridges, road networks and hospitals.

From BBC • Sep. 10, 2025

Just three years ago, the exchange rate of the local currency was 500 naira to £1; now it stands at 2,200 naira.

From BBC • Mar. 29, 2025

Ms Buhari told the BBC that her family had received the 7.5 million naira for her three brothers who were killed, and she got 750,000 naira for her injuries - though this was not enough.

From BBC • Dec. 2, 2024

As the naira plunged and pump prices increased several times, the government, aware of the potential danger of protests, continued to pipette some medicine to the masses.

From BBC • Nov. 17, 2024

Inside is a magazine with an envelope stuffed full of crisp naira notes, fresh from the bank.

From "Purple Hibiscus" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023