The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has voted to retain the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 26.5%, following its 305th meeting held in Abuja.
CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, announced the decision on Wednesday, noting that the committee reached a unanimous resolution with 11 members in attendance.
“The Committee resolved to retain the Monetary Policy Rate at 26.5 per cent,” Cardoso said at the end of the meeting.
The decision comes after a 50-basis-point reduction recorded in February 2026 and a previous hold announced at the MPC briefing in November 2025.
In addition to the benchmark rate, the committee also retained all key monetary policy parameters.
The standing facilities corridor around the MPR was kept at +500 and -450 basis points.
The MPC also maintained the Cash Reserve Requirement (CRR) for Deposit Money Banks at 45 per cent, Merchant Banks at 16 per cent, and non-TSA public sector deposits at 75 per cent.
According to Cardoso, the decision was based on a comprehensive review of economic conditions, risks, and inflation trends.
He noted that although inflation had increased slightly for two consecutive months, the committee attributed the rise largely to external shocks, describing it as potentially temporary.
By maintaining the policy rate and other monetary tools, the CBN signaled a continued cautious stance aimed at containing inflation while supporting overall macroeconomic stability.
