CBN reduces lending rate from 13% to 11%

Nigeria’s Central Bank on Tuesday cut policy interest rate for the first time in almost four years.

At the end of its two-day rate setting meeting, the CBN Chief, Godwin Emefiele announced a 200 points cut to 11% in headline interest rate from 13% previously.

The financial regulator also shaves-off the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) sharply from 25% to 20%, the deepest cut in the harmonised rate following a smaller easing done by the CBN last September.

The decision to cut both the policy rate and the harmonised cash reserve ratio, the CBN Governor said, was to engineer growth by increasing the flow of lending to critical sectors of the economy like agriculture, solid minerals, critical social infrastructure and manufacturing.

Mr. Emefiele said that part of the key resolutions during the meeting was for the CBN to focus on playing its primary role of stimulating the growth of the economy by providing the needed funds commercial banks would use to to promote the continued operation of the real sectors of the economy.

He identified the sectors that would benefit from the special funding support from the CBN to include infrastructure (with emphasis on power), agriculture and the solid minerals.