CBN Hikes Interest Rate, Cites Inflation

News Update

THE Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 27.50 per cent from 27.25 per cent as part of efforts to combating surging inflation.

This followed the meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). The monetary policy rate measures the benchmark interest rate.

The CBN governor Yemi Cardoso announced this in Abuja on Tuesday during the last MPC meeting of the year at the apex bank’s headquarters.

Cardoso said the MPC voted unanimously to raise the MPR by 25 basis points from 27.25% to 27.50%; and retain the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 50% for Deposit Money Banks and 16% for Merchant Banks.

“The Committee was unanimous in its agreement to raise the monetary policy rate by 25 basis points to 27.50 percent,” Cardoso said.

The CBN chief also said the MPC retained the Liquidity Ratio (LR) at 30% and Asymmetric Corridor at +500/-100 basis points around the MPR.