JUST IN: CBN Cuts Interest Rate to 26.5%

The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) to 26.5 per cent, marking the second rate cut in five months.

The decision was announced on Tuesday by the CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, at the end of the Committee’s 304th meeting held in Abuja.

The move followed a 50-basis-point cut implemented in September 2025 and a hold at the previous MPC briefing in November 2025.

Cardoso said the Committee’s resolution followed a careful assessment of recent macroeconomic indicators, including inflation dynamics, exchange rate stability, and liquidity conditions in the banking system.

The rate adjustment comes on the heels of fresh data from the National Bureau of Statistics, which showed that Nigeria’s headline inflation eased marginally to 15.10 per cent in January 2026, down from 15.15 per cent in December 2025, according to the latest Consumer Price Index report.

Economic Confidential reports that MPR serves as the benchmark interest rate in the economy, influencing lending rates, deposit rates, and overall credit conditions.