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BREAKING: CBN Increases Interest Rate To 17.5%

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The Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, has unanimously voted to increase the benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points to 17.5 per cent.

The CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele, disclosed this while reading the communiqué of the end of the two-day MPC meeting, the first of the year.

The development means this is the fifth time the CBN would increase the interest rate despite calls by stakeholders against the increment.

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The CBN said previous increases were beginning to yield results with the slight drop in the inflation rate recorded in December 2022.

However, the CBN stressed that there was a need to keep tightening its fiscal policy.

READ ALSO: Naira Redesign: CBN Deadline Insensitive, Spells Doom For Country’s Economy – Experts

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Meanwhile, the CBN retained other variables including the asymmetric corridor at +100/-700 basis points around the MPR.

The CBN also retained the CRR at 32.5 per cent while the liquidity ratio was kept at 30 per cent

Earlier, the apex bank had increased the MPR from 11.5 per cent earlier last year to 16.5 per cent across four consecutive rate hikes in 2022.

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JUST IN: Otedola Sells Shares In Geregu Power For N1trn

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Billionaire businessman, Femi Otedola, has sold his majority stake in Geregu Power Plc for N1.088 trillion in a deal financed by a consortium of banks led by Zenith Bank Plc.

The Nigerian Exchange, NGX, made this announcement on Monday.

Otedola’s Amperion Power Distribution Company Ltd reportedly held nearly 80 percent of the power generating company.

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READ ALSO:N200b Agric Credit Dispute: Appeal Court Slams NAIC, Upholds First Bank Victory

With this new development, Otedola, Chairman of First Holdco Ltd, parent company of First Bank of Nigeria Plc, will reportedly now concentrate on expanding his interest in the Nigerian banking sector, although he still retains some shares in Geregu.

Otedola is said to currently own 17.01 percent of First Bank — its single largest shareholder since the bank was established in 1894.

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Fuel Price Cut: NNPCL GCEO Ojulari Reveals Biggest Beneficiaries

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The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Bayo Ojulari, has said Nigerians are the biggest beneficiaries of the ongoing fuel price reductions, triggered by competition in the downstream oil sector.

Ojulari made the remarks on Sunday while speaking with journalists after briefing President Bola Tinubu in Lagos.

He described the current fluctuations in petrol prices as a natural outcome of Nigeria’s transition away from dependence on fuel imports.

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READ ALSO:NNPCL Revenue, Profit Soar To N5.08tn, N447bn In October

According to him, increased competition in the market ultimately favors consumers, adding that the present volatility will ease over time.

Where there is healthy competition, the buyers are the ultimate beneficiaries. We should also bear in mind that the market will stabilise,” Ojulari said. “There may be some tension along the way because we are undergoing a major transition.”

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His comments come amid an ongoing fuel price war that has resulted in successive reductions at petrol stations across the country in recent weeks.

Earlier in December 2025, Dangote Refinery cut its gantry price to about N699 per litre. Following this move, MRS filling stations, NNPCL outlets, and other marketers reduced pump prices to between N739 and N901 per litre in Abuja.

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Naira Records Massive Appreciation Against US Dollar Into Christmas Holidays

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The Naira gained massively against the United States dollar in the last three days at the official foreign exchange as trading ended for the Christmas holidays.

Central Bank of Nigeria data showed that the Naira strengthened further on Wednesday to N1,443.37 per dollar, up from N1,449.99 on Tuesday.

This means that since Monday this week, the Naira has recorded a significant N13.18 gain against the dollar, according to the apex bank data.

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READ ALSO:Naira Records Depreciation Against US Dollar Across Official, Black Markets

Similarly, at the black market, the Naira traded on Wednesday at N1,490 per dollar, an appreciation from the N1,500 exchanged on Monday but the same rate as on Tuesday.

The uptrend comes amid the rise in the country’s external reserves to $45.24 as of December 23rd, 2025.

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DAILY POST reports that the Naira gained against the dollar at the official market on Monday and Tuesday.

 

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