By cutting the Monetary Policy Rate by 50 basis points to 26.5 percent on Tuesday, February 24, 2026, the Central Bank of Nigeria has done more than trim the cost of money. It has signaled that the policy conversation is slowly shifting from emergency stabilization to cautious normalization. Governor Olayemi Cardoso announced the decision at the 304th MPC meeting in Abuja, and the message behind it was clear: inflation is easing, exchange-rate conditions are steadier, and the central bank now sees room to support growth without abandoning discipline. Reuters reported the cut and linked it to the MPC’s assessment that the disinflation path could continue, with January inflation edging down to 15.10 percent from 15.15 percent in December.