The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has lowered the country’s benchmark interest rate to 26.5 per cent.
The decision was announced on Tuesday by the Governor of the apex bank, Olayemi Cardoso, at the end of the MPC’s 304th meeting held in Abuja.
Cardoso disclosed that members of the committee agreed to trim the Monetary Policy Rate by 50 basis points.
“The Committee decided to reduce the monetary policy rate by 50 basis points to 26.5 per cent,” he stated.
The latest adjustment marks the second rate cut under the current leadership of the central bank. It follows a similar 50-basis-point reduction carried out in September 2025, after which the committee maintained a hold at its November 2025 meeting.
The rate cut comes amid a moderation in inflationary pressures, with Nigeria’s headline inflation easing to 15.10 per cent in January 2026.
Further details are expected.
