North Africa Currency Guide
North Africa's currencies split into two families: dinars (Algeria, Libya, Tunisia) and pounds (Egypt, Sudan), plus Morocco's dirham. Unlike West and Central Africa, the region has no shared currency — each country issues and manages its own, even though a monetary union has occasionally been discussed under the Arab Maghreb Union framework (Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Tunisia) without ever being implemented. The Libyan dinar and Tunisian dinar are consistently among the strongest currencies in Africa by nominal exchange rate, needing only a handful of units to equal one US dollar, while Sudan's pound has depreciated sharply amid ongoing conflict and economic crisis.
Currency of North Africa: the short answer
There is no single North African currency. Each of the six countries issues its own: the Algerian dinar (DZD), Egyptian pound (EGP), Libyan dinar (LYD), Moroccan dirham (MAD), Sudanese pound (SDG) and Tunisian dinar (TND).
North African money splits into two families with one outlier: dinars in Algeria, Libya and Tunisia; pounds in Egypt and Sudan; and Morocco’s dirham on its own. Unlike West and Central Africa, the region has never shared a currency — the Arab Maghreb Union discussed monetary integration from 1989 but never implemented it.
The practical thing to know before travelling: several North African currencies are closed currencies. The Moroccan dirham, Tunisian dinar and Libyan dinar are not sold abroad and carry limits on being taken out of the country, so you exchange after you arrive and convert back before you leave.
North Africa Currency Comparison
| Country | Currency | Code | Symbol | Per 1 USD | Converters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇩🇿 Algeria | Algerian Dinar | DZD | DA | 133.18 | USD · EUR · GBP |
| 🇪🇬 Egypt | Egyptian Pound | EGP | E£ | 51.33 | USD · EUR · GBP |
| 🇱🇾 Libya | Libyan Dinar | LYD | LD | 6.43 | USD · EUR · GBP |
| 🇲🇦 Morocco | Moroccan Dirham | MAD | DH | 9.35 | USD · EUR · GBP |
| 🇸🇩 Sudan | Sudanese Pound | SDG | £SD | 600.17 | USD · EUR · GBP |
| 🇹🇳 Tunisia | Tunisian Dinar | TND | DT | 2.96 | USD · EUR · GBP |
What currency does each North African country use?
A quick answer for each of the six countries, with the local name you will actually hear used on the ground.
🇩🇿 Algeria — Algerian dinar (DZD)
Written DA or د.ج. Divided into 100 centimes, though centimes have long stopped circulating and prices are often quoted in centimes verbally (10,000 centimes = 100 dinars), which confuses visitors. Algeria operates strict currency controls, and a well-known parallel market trades the dinar at a noticeably weaker rate than the official one. Full Algerian dinar guide →
🇪🇬 Egypt — Egyptian pound (EGP)
Written E£ or ج.م, divided into 100 piastres. Egypt moved to a more market-determined exchange rate in recent years, and the pound has depreciated sharply against the dollar as a result. It is the most widely searched North African currency online. Full Egyptian pound guide →
🇱🇾 Libya — Libyan dinar (LYD)
Written LD or ل.د, divided into 1,000 dirhams rather than 100 subunits. By nominal exchange rate it is usually the strongest currency in Africa, needing only a handful of units per US dollar. Political division has at times produced competing banknote issues and a wide gap between official and street rates. Full Libyan dinar guide →
🇲🇦 Morocco — Moroccan dirham (MAD)
Written DH or د.م., divided into 100 centimes. The dirham is a closed currency: it is not freely traded abroad, and there are limits on taking it out of the country, so visitors generally exchange on arrival and convert leftover notes back before departing. Full Moroccan dirham guide →
🇸🇩 Sudan — Sudanese pound (SDG)
Written £SD or ج.س. The pound has lost value dramatically amid armed conflict since 2023, and official and parallel rates diverge widely. Banking access is severely disrupted in much of the country. Full Sudanese pound guide →
🇹🇳 Tunisia — Tunisian dinar (TND)
Written DT or د.ت, divided into 1,000 millimes. Like Morocco’s dirham, the Tunisian dinar is a closed currency with restrictions on export, and it is consistently among Africa’s strongest by nominal rate. Full Tunisian dinar guide →
Exchanging money in North Africa: what to know
Three features of the region catch travellers out more than anything else.
Several of these are closed currencies
The Moroccan dirham, Tunisian dinar and Libyan dinar are not traded on international markets in any meaningful way. You generally cannot buy them before you travel, and you face limits on carrying them out. Plan to exchange after you arrive and convert what is left before you fly home — keep exchange receipts, which are sometimes required to convert back.
Official and parallel rates can differ sharply
In Algeria, Libya and Sudan, the rate you are quoted informally can be materially different from the central bank rate quoted on this site and by services like XE or Wise. Reference rates here reflect official quotations, not street rates.
Cash still matters
Card acceptance is good in Moroccan and Tunisian tourist areas and in major Egyptian cities, but thins out quickly elsewhere, and is unreliable in Libya and Sudan. Carrying some cash remains normal practice across the region.
Why North Africa never adopted a shared currency
The Arab Maghreb Union, formed in 1989 by Algeria, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco and Tunisia, included long-term goals of economic and monetary integration similar to the EU. Political tensions between member states — particularly the long-closed Algeria–Morocco border — have stalled meaningful progress for decades, and each country has continued to manage its own currency and monetary policy independently. Egypt and Sudan, both members of the Arab League but not the Arab Maghreb Union, have never been part of these discussions and manage entirely separate pound-based systems.
Understand African money better
Frequently Asked Questions
What money is used in North Africa?
North African money differs by country: Algeria, Libya and Tunisia use dinars; Egypt and Sudan use pounds; and Morocco uses the dirham. No two North African countries share a currency.
Which North African currency is worth the most?
By nominal exchange rate the Tunisian dinar and Libyan dinar need the fewest units per US dollar in the region. Nominal rate is not a measure of economic strength — it mainly reflects each currency's historical starting value and any redenominations.
What currency is used in North Africa?
There is no single North African currency. Each of the six countries issues its own: the Algerian dinar (DZD), Egyptian pound (EGP), Libyan dinar (LYD), Moroccan dirham (MAD), Sudanese pound (SDG) and Tunisian dinar (TND).
Can I buy Moroccan dirhams or Tunisian dinars before I travel?
Generally no. Both are closed currencies that are not freely traded abroad and carry restrictions on being taken out of the country, so most travellers exchange money on arrival and convert leftover notes back before leaving.
Is the US dollar or euro accepted in North Africa?
Not as everyday currency. Dollars and euros are widely accepted for exchange and are sometimes taken directly for tourism services, but ordinary shops, taxis and markets expect the local currency.
Which North African currency is the strongest?
By nominal exchange rate, the Libyan dinar (LYD) and Tunisian dinar (TND) are typically the strongest in the region, each trading at well under 10 units per US dollar.
Do any North African countries share a currency?
No. Unlike West and Central Africa's CFA franc zones, every North African country — Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Sudan and Tunisia — issues and manages its own separate currency.
Why has the Sudanese pound lost so much value?
Sudan has faced ongoing armed conflict, economic collapse and hyperinflation-adjacent pressures since 2023, driving a sharp gap between official and street exchange rates for the Sudanese pound.
Where can I see rates for all 54 African currencies?
Check the full currency directory on the African Currencies homepage, which covers every country on the continent.