The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27.5 percent, maintaining its tight stance on inflation control despite calls for a rate cut.
CBN Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced the decision on Tuesday at the conclusion of the 301st Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting held in Abuja. He stated that all committee members unanimously agreed to hold the rate, citing sustained moderation in inflation, which eased to 22.22 percent in July.
In addition to the interest rate, the MPC retained key monetary tools:
Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): 50% for Deposit Money Banks, 16% for Merchant Banks
Liquidity Ratio (LR): 30%
Asymmetric Corridor: +500/-100 basis points around the MPR
This marks the third consecutive meeting—after February and May—where the apex bank kept the MPR unchanged, despite projections of a potential cut. Renowned economist Bismarck Rewane had forecast a 25 basis point reduction in July, citing a global inflation uptick and easing domestic pressures. Similarly, the Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Segun Ajayi-Kadir, had expressed that a rate cut was the industry’s expectation.
Meanwhile, Nigeria’s economy has shown resilience, expanding to ₦372.8 trillion in 2024 following a rebasing of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as previously reported by DAILY POST.
The decision signals the CBN’s commitment to balancing inflation control with economic growth in a complex macroeconomic environment.
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