To check inflation, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has raised the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) from 13 per cent to 14 per cent.
This was announced on Tuy by the Governor of CBN, Godwin Emefiele during the 286th meeting of the Monetary Policy Committee held in Lagos.
Emefiele said the development was the right option looking at economic realities.
He said, “The committee resolved that the most rational policy option would be to further strengthen its tightening stance in order to effectively curtail the unabated rising trend of inflation.
“Members were conscious of the fact that output growth remained fragile. However, not curtailing inflation now could erode the monetary gains achieved in improving consumer purchasing power and thus worsen the poverty level for the vulnerable populace.”
The monetary policy rate (MPR) is the main interest rate in a country or economy on which all other interest rates in that economy are based.
Though CBN increased the MPR rate, it retained other parameters as the asymmetric corridor remains +100 and -700 basis points around the MPR, and the well as Cash Reserved Ratio (CRR) at 27 per cent.
“Committee thus vote unanimously to raise the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR). One member voted to increase the MPR by 150 basis points, six members by 100 basis points, one member by 75 basis points and three members by 50 basis points.
“Consequently, Committee resolved to increase the MPR by 100 basis points from 13 percent to 14 percent. In summary, MPC voted as follows:
“Increase MPR to 14% from 13, retain the Asymmetric Corridor at +100 and -700 basis points around the MPR, retain the CRR at 27.5 percent and retain liquidity ratio at 30 percent,” Emefiele said.
Recall that the MPC had also on May 24, 2022, increases the rate from 11.5 per cent to 13 per cent.