The NBS, on Monday, reported that Nigeria’s headline inflation rate rose slightly to 15.93 per cent in May 2026 from 15.69 per cent in April.
The stakeholders, who spoke in separate interviews, said democratic governance had created opportunities for reforms and private-sector engagement.
He said higher interest rates would increase the cost of capital, reduce manufacturing competitiveness, and suppress SME growth.
The headline inflation rose marginally from 15.38 per cent in March to 15.69 per cent in April.
He noted that while wage increases are necessary, they are not sufficient to improve workers’ welfare.
He affirmed that the sharp moderation in food inflation would deliver substantial welfare benefits.
Muda Yusuf, chief executive officer of CPPE, said this on Monday in Lagos in reaction to the December inflation rate of 15.15 per cent by the National Bureau of Statistics.
The CPPE boss said that with sustained reforms and improved security, 2026 could witness more robust growth and better living standards.
He noted that recurring fire outbreaks in major commercial centres had become a growing threat to businesses.
Mr Yusuf urged NMDPRA to place domestic refining at the centre of its framework, aligned with the Nigeria-First policy and industrialisation agenda.
