The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has reduced the country’s Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 27.5% to 27%.
CBN Governor, Dr. Olayemi Cardoso announced the rate adjustment at a news conference on Tuesday during the committee’s 302nd meeting in Abuja.
The MPR is the baseline interest rate in an economy, other interest rates used within the economy are built on it.
It represents the first interest rate reduction since 2020, when it was cut to 11.5%, and also marks the first rate cut since the current CBN administration began.
At the media briefing, Cardoso said that the committee members unanimously voted to reduce the rate by 50 basis points from 27.5% to 27%.
He said the committee adjusted the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) to 45%, and retained the liquidity ratio at 30%.
‘Change the asymmetric corridor to +250/-250 around the MPR, reduce the CRR of commercial banks from 50% to 45%.
‘The CRR of Merchant banks remains at 16 percent and also to introduce a 75% CRR on non-TSA public sector departments and keep the liquidity ratio unchanged at 30%’.
The CBN governor also said the committee’s decision to lower the MPR was predicated on the sustained disinflation recorded in the past five months, projections of declining inflation for the rest of 2025, and the need to support economic recovery efforts.
He further said: ‘The MPC expressed satisfaction with the prevailing macroeconomic stability, evidenced by the improvements in several indicators.
‘These include the sustained disinflation, improved output growth, stable exchange rate and robust external reserves.
‘It particularly noted the increased momentum of disinflation in August 2025 being the highest in the past five months.
‘This deceleration underpinned by monetary policy tightening, exchange rate stability, increased capital inflows and surplus current account balance have helped to broadly anchor inflation expectations’.
Other factors that contributed to the deceleration, according to Cardoso, include the continued moderation in the price of petrol and the notable increase in crude oil production.
Citing the submissions of the committee, the CBN governor said the stability in the macroeconomic environment offered some headroom for monetary policy to support economic growth and recovery.
Cardoso also said: ‘Notwithstanding the consistent deceleration in inflation, the committee observed the persistent build up of excess liquidity in the banking system, resulting largely from fiscal releases emerging from improved revenues.
‘Be mindful of the need to preserve the prevailing macroeconomic stability. The MPC noted the risk posed by the excess liquidity in the banking system. Members noted that effective vomiting of the interbank market remains critical to enhance translation of monetary policy.
‘This, therefore, informed the decision to adjust the width of the standing facilities corridor to boost interbank market transactions and enhance the stability of the market.
‘The committee acknowledged the continued stability of the foreign exchange market and its critical importance in achieving rapid disinflation, and therefore called on the bank to continue the implementation of policies that would further boost capital inflows and deepen foreign exchange liquidity in the financial sector’.
The CBN governor also said the committee will remain proactive through a data-driven policy response for the continued stability of the macroeconomic environment.
He announced that the next meeting of the committee is scheduled for 24 and 25 November.
