The Libyan dinar is facing pressure, with warnings of a potential new wave of exchange rate changes and increasing living costs. Recent statements by media personality and migration researcher Riem Al-Berki have sparked debate about the future of the dinar's exchange rate. Al-Berki cited information suggesting that the Central Bank of Libya may change the exchange rate before Ramadan, linking this possibility to spending and deficit data.
Al-Berki's statements come as official data from the Central Bank shows that the dollar's selling price was around 6.4116 dinars on September 24, 2026, while the purchase price was 6.3797 dinars. The bank's policy has seen the dinar undergo multiple adjustments in recent years, the last being in January 2026, when the dinar's value was reduced by 14.7%. This change was implemented on January 18.
The potential exchange rate change is also linked to the issue of salaries, with Al-Berki suggesting that a possible increase in salaries could coincide with a decline in the dinar's value. She questioned the role of sovereign institutions in managing economic and monetary policy, warning against what she described as "speculator policies." Al-Berki emphasized that managing sovereign files should remain within institutional frameworks, away from speculation.
These concerns are reflected in official financial data showing the size of public spending. The Central Bank reported that total revenues from January to August 2026 were approximately 98.98 billion dinars, compared to 68.61 billion dinars in spending, including 46.9 billion dinars for salaries and 11.8 billion dinars for subsidies.
Al-Berki's comments also touched on the state of services and energy, criticizing the complexities of citizens' lives due to power outages, internet and communication disruptions, and difficulties in obtaining fuel. She expressed opposition to what she described as the criminalization of using solar panels, suggesting that reliance on solar energy could alleviate the effects of electricity and fuel crises.
The impact of these crises on daily life for Libyan families was also highlighted, with Al-Berki discussing the effects of fuel shortages on citizens' ability to travel and provide basic needs. She linked the energy crisis to a decline in the ability to manage daily living requirements, reflecting what she described as a widening gap between citizens' needs and the level of available services.
While Al-Berki's statements do not confirm an imminent change in the exchange rate, they reflect growing concern about the dinar's value and citizens' ability to protect their savings amid financial and monetary changes. The Central Bank has announced continued publication of revenue and expenditure data and enhancement of financial disclosure, as well as meetings on economic reform, salaries, and public spending regulation.
Key points
- The potential change in the exchange rate is linked to spending and deficit data.
- The dinar's value has been reduced by 14.7% since January 2026.
- Citizens are advised to be cautious with their foreign currency savings.
