The Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has retained the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) at 27.5 per cent, marking the third time the rate has been held steady in 2025.
CBN Governor, Olayemi Cardoso, announced the decision on Tuesday during a press briefing following the committee’s 301st meeting held in Abuja.
Cardoso explained that the MPC also decided to retain the asymmetric corridor around the MPR at +500/-100 basis points, while the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) remains at 50 per cent for Deposit Money Banks and 16 per cent for Merchant Banks. The Liquidity Ratio was also left unchanged at 30 per cent.
According to the CBN governor, the committee’s decisions were driven by the need to consolidate efforts at curbing inflation and stabilising prices in the face of emerging monetary challenges. He noted that the MPC also commended the federal government’s strides in improving national security, particularly its positive effects on food security.
On the issue of bank recapitalisation, Cardoso disclosed that eight banks have so far met the CBN’s recapitalisation requirements, though he did not name the banks. He added that others are making significant progress toward compliance.
The CBN had earlier given a two-year deadline—April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2026—for banks to meet new capital thresholds. Under the guidelines, banks with international licences are required to have a minimum paid-up capital of N500 billion, national banks N200 billion, and regional banks N50 billion.
