Business
Economic Growth Slowed In February – CBN Report

The economy recorded slow growth in February, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s report.
The CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee report showed that in February, the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index recorded slow growth, with the Non-Manufacturing PMI also contracting.
It stated that, “The Committee, however, noted that although the Manufacturing Purchasing Managers’ Index, remained above the 50-index points benchmark in February 2022, it moderated slightly to 50.1 index points from 51.4 index points in January 2022.
“This sustained positive performance in the manufacturing PMI reflects the resilience of the economy in light of persisting headwinds to the recovery.
“The Non-Manufacturing PMI, however, remained below the 50 index points in February 2022 at 49.0 index points, with a slight moderation compared with 49.01 points in January 2022 as legacy headwinds such as the persisting insecurity and infrastructural constraints continued to impact production and the ease of doing business in Nigeria.”
According to the CBN’s report, the Committee observed with concern, the marginal increase in headline inflation (year-on-year) to 15.70 per cent in February 2022, from 15.60 per cent in January 2022, a 0.10 percentage point uptick.
This increase was largely attributed to a rise in the core component to 14.01 per cent in February 2022, from 13.87 per cent in January 2022, while food prices moderated marginally.
READ ALSO: CBN Fines Three Banks N800m Over Crypto Transactions
The rise in core inflation was mostly due to rising energy prices as a result of the current scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit, rise in the cost of Automotive Gas Oil, and hike in electricity tariff.
The Committee, however, expressed cautious optimism, noting that with sustained interventions by the bank in various sectors of the economy and broad fiscal support to tame the legacy structural constraints, price development would moderate as output growth improved.
The MPC urged the fiscal authorities to seek innovative ways of addressing the current critical supply-side challenges confronting the economy, to enable an unhindered transmission of all the recently deployed fiscal and monetary stimulus to the real economy.
Business
Nigerian Stock Market Hits 10th Consecutive Uptrend As investors Gain N308bn
The Nigerian Stock Market recorded its 10th consecutive uptrend as investors raked in N308 billion gain on Thursday.
This comes as the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, market capitalisation, which opened at N92.490 trillion, appreciated by 0.33 per cent to close at N92.798 trillion on Thursday.
Also, the All-Share Index added 0.33 per cent, or 485.25 points, to close at 146,204.34, compared with 145,719.09 recorded on Wednesday.
READ ALSO:Asian Stocks Rise As Trump Postpones Mexico, Canada Tariffs
Increased trading in Eunisell Interlinked, Caverton Offshore Support Group, Sunu Assurances, Industrial and Medical Gases, Mecure, and 27 other advancing stocks boosted market performance on Thursday.
To this end, the market breadth also closed positive with 32 gainers and 21 losers.
Further analysis showed that Eunisell Interlinked and Caverton Offshore Support Group led the gainers’ chart by 10 per cent each, closing at N44 and N6.93 per share, respectively, while FTN Cocoa Processors led the losers’ table by 6.67 per cent, closing at N5.60 per share.
READ ALSO:UK Stock Markets Plunge In Biggest Daily Fall Amid Trump Tariff
Market activity showed a decline in the number of deals and volume traded but an improvement in trade value.
Accordingly, a total of 346.99 million shares worth N27.43 billion were traded in 24,691 deals, compared with 525.72 million shares worth N13.61 billion exchanged in 25,597 deals on Wednesday.
Fidelity Bank topped the activity chart with 42.01 million shares valued at N861.54 million.
According to DAILY POST, NGX has continued its bullish run from last month’s end to date.
Business
CBN Sets POS Maximum Transactions In Fresh Guidelines
The Central Bank of Nigeria has rolled out fresh guidelines for agent banking, known as Point of Sales, across the country.
The apex also in the guidelines pegged daily POS transactions at N1.2 million per agent and N100,000 per individual.
CBN disclosed this in a circular signed by its Director of the Payments System Management Department, Musa Jimoh.
The guidelines further mandate all financial institutions to publish the list of all their POS agents on their website and to display it in their branches.
READ ALSO:CBN Establishes New Unit To Tackle Financial Crime
CBN noted that the guidelines would take effect from April 1, 2026.
“The Guidelines aim to establish minimum standards for operating agent banking in Nigeria, enhancing agent banking to provide financial services and promoting financial inclusion, encouraging responsible market conduct and improving service quality in agent banking operations.
“This circular takes effect from the date of release, while the implementation of agent location and agent exclusivity shall be in effect from April 1, 2026.
“POS agents are restricted to a maximum of N1.2 million per day. Individual customers are limited to N100,000 in daily transactions.
“These limits are intended to curb misuse, enhance financial integrity, and protect consumers within the agent banking framework,” it stated.
Business
Naira Records First Appreciation Against US Dollar At Official Market
The Naira recorded appreciation on Wednesday against the United States dollar at the official market, the first time in three days this week.
The Central Bank of Nigeria’s exchange rate data showed that the Naira strengthened to N 1,470.62 per dollar on Wednesday, up from N1,471.09 traded on Tuesday.
This means that the country’s currency firmed up slightly by N0.47 against the dollar on a day-to-day basis.
READ ALSO:Naira Appreciates Massively Against US Dollar In The Black Market, Highest In 15 Months
Monday and Tuesday, the Naira recorded negative sentiment at the official foreign exchange market.
However, at the black market, the Naira remained unchanged at N1,500 per dollar on Wednesday, the same rate exchanged on Tuesday.
The apex bank data indicated that the country’s external reserves, a determinant of the exchange rates, stood at $42.57 billion as of October 7, 2025.
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