Thursday, October 15, 2026

CBN raises interest rate to 18.5%; highest in 22 years

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, made this known during the post-MPC press conference on Wednesday.

• May 24, 2023
Godwin Emefiele
Godwin Emefiele

The Central Bank of Nigeria at its just concluded Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting raised its benchmark interest rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 18.5 per cent, the country’s highest in 22 years.

The CBN governor, Godwin Emefiele, made this known during the post-MPC press conference on Wednesday.

In April 2023, headline inflation increased to 22.22 per cent from 22.04 per cent in the previous month, marking its highest level since September 2005.

This is the third time the Mr Emefiele led apex bank will be raising it’s interest rate in 2023.

Nigeria has struggled with a high rate of inflation as well as a declining exchange rate at both the parallel and official markets.

In April 2022, headline inflation reached its highest level in more than 17 years, eroding the purchasing power of the populace.

However, the apex bank has continued to increase the interest rate to combat the continued rising inflation.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

Nigerian Bar Association

States

Independence: NBA urges Nigerians to expect better future

The NBA said that ordinary Nigerians should be deriving benefit from the subsidy removal rather than hardship.

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

NSE chairman Olufemi Dare

Lagos

NSE, AGESI sign MoU to advance Nigeria’s climate-resilient engineering, sustainability leadership

The NSE-AGESI partnership gives Nigerian engineers globally aligned tools and evidence frameworks to address the climate crisis and infrastructure fragility.

NYSC DG Olakunle Nafiu

Education

NYSC chief urges corps members to embrace camp activities

The director-general of the National Youth Service Corps, Olakunle Nafiu, has urged corps members deployed to Rivers to embrace orientation activities.

Bandits

States

Bandits killed immigration officer in Niger: NIS

The Nigeria Immigration Service has confirmed the death of an officer attacked by bandits during a surveillance operation in Niger.

Peter Mbah

Economy

Enugu governor urges SEDC to prioritise gas pipeline, railway projects

Governor Peter Mbah has urged the South-East Development Commission to prioritise regional gas pipeline and railway projects to accelerate economic growth.

Vice-President Kashim Shettima

Politics

Northerners have nothing to fear about Tinubu’s re-election, says Shettima

Vice-President Kashim Shettima says Northern Nigeria has nothing to fear from President Bola Tinubu’s re-election, urging regional leaders to support his bid for a second term.

police commissioner in Enugu, Mamman Giwa

Politics

Enugu Campaigns: Police order area commanders, DPOs to strengthen security

The police commissioner in Enugu has ordered area commanders and DPOs to strengthen security in their respective jurisdictions as political campaigns heighten.