CBN sets to increase monetary policy interest rates to 18.5 per cent

The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Wednesday, unanimously voted to increase its monetary policy interest rates to 18.5 per cent.

The PUNCH reports in March that the MPC of the bank voted to increase the benchmark interest rate by 50 basis points to 18 per cent.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed the increase while reading the communiqué of the third MPC meeting of the year on Wednesday.

Addressing journalists at the end of the two-day meeting in Abuja, Mr Emefiele, said the committee voted to keep the asymmetric corridor at +100 and -700 basis points around the MPR.

Justifying the rising inflation rate, the MPC blamed the high energy cost and challenges around the supply chain, among others, which are beyond the reach of the CBN.

He added, “The current trend in price development would continue to be monitored by the bank with greater collaboration with fiscal authority to address the drivers of inflation.”

Analysts in the country had predicted the CBN and the MPC might raise the lending rates at the end of the Monetary Policy Committee.

The apex bank had increased the MPR from 11.5 per cent earlier last year to 18 per cent in March this year across six consecutive rate hikes.

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