In a significant policy pivot, the Monetary Policy Committee of the Central Bank of Nigeria has reduced the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by 50 basis points to 26.50%, marking a calibrated shift toward easing after an extended firm cycle.
🔎 Key Policy Decisions
- Monetary Policy Rate (MPR): 26.50% (from 27.00%)
- Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR): 45.00% (DMBs) | 16.00% (Merchant Banks) — unchanged
- CRR on Non-TSA Public Sector Deposits: 75% — unchanged
- Liquidity Ratio (LR): 30.0% — unchanged
- Asymmetric Corridor: Adjusted to +50 / -450 bps around the MPR
📊 What This Means for the Market
The rate cut signals growing confidence in inflation moderation and macro stabilization. For corporates and households, borrowing costs could gradually ease, supporting credit expansion, investment activity, and consumer demand.
However, with CRR levels still elevated and liquidity conditions relatively tight, the CBN appears to be balancing growth support with monetary discipline. The narrower asymmetric corridor on the upside reinforces a cautious easing bias rather than an aggressive liquidity injection.
💡 Investor Implications
- Equities: Likely positive, particularly for banking, consumer goods, and industrial stocks.
- Fixed Income: Yields may begin to moderate, improving mark-to-market gains on existing bond portfolios.
- FX & Foreign Portfolio Flows: A lower policy rate could slightly temper carry trade attractiveness, making exchange rate stability a key variable to monitor.
Overall, the decision reflects a strategic recalibration — supporting growth while maintaining safeguards against inflationary and currency risks. Markets will now watch forward guidance for signals on the pace and depth of further easing.
#mpcdecisionday
It’s a bad sign for stocks and gold to appreciate at the same time - Kiyosaki
@therealkiyosaki
Today, February 23, 2026, the Nigerian financial market is buzzing with a mix of aggressive regulatory interventions and a significant bullish run in the equities sector.
Here is a snapshot:
1. 𝐍𝐆𝐗: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 “𝐙𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬” 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐞𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐫𝐝 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬
The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) made a major move today to protect retail investors.
- 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐮𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧: Trading in the shares of 𝐙𝐢𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐀𝐠𝐫𝐨-𝐀𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐏𝐥𝐜 has been suspended effective today. The stock had surged an eye-watering 𝟕𝟕𝟐% in just one month, leading the NGX to investigate potential “liquidity traps” and speculative manipulation.
- 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐚𝐭 𝐀𝐥𝐥-𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐇𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐬: The All-Share Index (ASI) closed the previous week at a massive 𝟏𝟗𝟒,𝟗𝟖𝟗.𝟖𝟎 𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬, with market capitalization hitting ₦𝟏𝟐𝟓.𝟑𝟑 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧.
- 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬: Investor interest remains heavily concentrated in heavyweights like 𝐌𝐓𝐍 𝐍𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, which have pushed the year-to-date return of the market to over 𝟐𝟓%.
2. 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞
Rate Cut Discussions: Interestingly, with some signs of slowing inflation, analysts are starting to debate whether the CBN might consider its first interest rate cut in five months. However, for now, the “yield is king” for most institutional investors.
3. 𝐌𝐚𝐜𝐫𝐨-𝐄𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐜 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐜𝐡
- 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: Recent reports show a massive 𝟑𝟖𝟎% 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫-𝐨𝐧-𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐢𝐧𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 in capital importation (hitting $6.01bn in Q3 2025). While this looks good on paper, experts like Dr. Muda Yusuf of the CPPE are warning today that this is “hot money,” short-term and vulnerable, rather than a long-term investment in the real economy.
- 𝐒𝐄𝐂 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐭𝐡: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) reported this morning that total market capitalization has grown by 125% since April 2024, with the market’s contribution to GDP jumping from 13% to 33%
Third week of February 2026 📊
Nigeria’s fixed-income market stayed hot 🔥
• ₦3.65trn OMO bills sold
• ₦1.91trn NTBs auctioned
• ₦1.87trn OMO + ₦765.89bn NTB maturities hitting the system
With liquidity still very much in surplus, naira appreciating, reserves climbing, and inflation clearly on the downtrend:
Headline → 15.10%
Food → 8.89%
Core → 17.79%
The street is pricing in softer yields… and many analysts now see a strong case for policy easing at the next MPC 🪙📉
Are we finally turning the corner?
#NigerianEconomy #FixedIncome #treasurybills
For five weeks, we’ve explored the God Complex, digging into the fine line between ambition and arrogance. We’ve looked up to leaders who nailed it, balancing drive with humility. But here’s the thing: it’s not just for the big shots.
This post is for the ordinary heroes among us – students grinding for that degree, workers putting in the hours, parents juggling it all, and neighbours making a difference in their own quiet ways.
You don’t need a global stage to practice humility. Your daily life is the platform. Let’s explore how to balance ambition with humility, right where you are 💪.
@sancathaku
What makes trading so incredibly difficult.
@daytrading
📈 𝐍𝐓𝐁 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐈𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐇𝐮𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐁𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬
The results from the 𝐅𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝟏𝟖, 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔, 𝐍𝐓𝐁 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 are in, and the message from the market is clear: 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐦 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐜𝐚𝐧. Despite a significant compression in stop rates, demand for the 1-year paper was overwhelming, signaling a potential shift in the interest rate cycle.
📊 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐍𝐮𝐦𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐚 𝐆𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 (𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐩 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐬 𝐯𝐬. 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐘𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝𝐬):
- 91-Day: 15.80% (▼ 4bps) | Effective Yield: 16.45% (Unchanged)
- 182-Day: 16.65% (Unchanged) | Effective Yield: 18.15% (Unchanged)
- 364-Day: 15.90% (▼ 108.7bps) | Effective Yield: 18.89% (▼ 156bps)
🔍 Takeaways:
1. 𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠-𝐃𝐚𝐲 𝐃𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: The 364-day bill saw massive oversubscription (5.09x bid-to-cover), allowing the DMO to aggressively pull back rates. While the stop rate sits at 15.90%, the 𝐞𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐢𝐞𝐥𝐝 𝐨𝐟 𝟏𝟖.𝟖𝟗% remains the “sweet spot” for institutional capital.
2. 𝐈𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜: Interestingly, the mid-day (182-day) bill now carries the highest stop rate (𝟏𝟔.𝟔𝟓%), yet saw the least demand. This suggests investors are bypassing the “middle” to either stay liquid in the short end or fully commit to the long end.
3. 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐚𝐫𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐭 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: With the DMO establishing a pattern of selling above offer volumes to compress rates, expect the 𝟏𝟓.𝟔𝟎% 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥 to be the new battleground in the secondary market.
4. 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐋𝐨𝐨𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠: The alignment of short-day rates with long-duration stop rates provides a significant signal for the upcoming 𝐅𝐆𝐍 𝐁𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐀𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 (𝐅𝐞𝐛 𝟐𝟑).
Yields are trending lower. For those waiting on the sidelines, the window to capture 18%+ effective yields on risk-free sovereign paper is narrowing.
#nigeriaeconomy #fixedincome #treasurybills
Renewed Momentum! The Nigerian market roared back yesterday, closing at 190,427.96 points with a solid +0.56% gain. 💹
Massive volume alert: FCMB stole the show with a whopping 2.94 billion shares traded, over 58% of the day’s total turnover! 📈
Get more update from our website, link in bio.
#growingnaija #ngx #stockmarket #oilandgasindustry
As of mid-February 2026, the cryptocurrency market appears to be transitioning from a leverage-driven speculative regime into a filtered environment, resulting in a decidedly bearish short-term reality.
The narrative is currently dictated by a 24% collapse in ETF assets under management, falling from $125 billion to $95 billion within 30 days, has stripped away the buy-side support that previously protected the $70,000 psychological floor.
Read more on our website, link in bio.
40% of the entire world youth will be in Africa by 2050. -Boris
@one54africa
Feb 16 – 22, 2026: Your essential guide to the global and local data points moving your money.
#nigeriaeconomy #inflation #marinatimesng #marketwatch
The market breadth remains overwhelmingly positive with 59 gainers. As the Naira hits a new high of $/₦1,347 in the official market, the “Nigeria Story” is becoming a magnet for both domestic and foreign capital.
Stay informed, disciplined, and positioned.
#ngx #nigerianstockmarket #bullrun #investing #marinatimesng
