naira

noun

nai·​ra ˈnī-rə How to pronounce naira (audio)
plural nairas or naira
: the basic monetary unit of Nigeria see Money Table

Examples of naira in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Nigeria’s benchmark stocks gauge is trading at a record, surpassing the 100 trillion-naira ($72 billion) mark in early February for the first time as difficult reforms are starting to bear fruit, boosting sentiment. Emele Onu, Bloomberg, 7 Apr. 2026 Guests without naira might have to use a transfer app to make payments for purchases, which can be a little awkward for small purchases. Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Mar. 2026 Economy tickets on Nigerian carriers roughly doubled to 350,500 naira. Vanessa Offiong, CNN Money, 19 Dec. 2025 The outlet later reported that a church official said the gunmen demanded a ransom of 100 million naira (roughly $69,000) per worshipper. Rachel Wolf, FOXNews.com, 21 Nov. 2025 See All Example Sentences for naira

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Nigeria

First Known Use

1972, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of naira was in 1972

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Cite this Entry

“Naira.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/naira. Accessed 19 Apr. 2026.

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