Every nation’s economic environment is shaped by several factors including its monetary policies, and Nigeria is no exception. The Monetary Policy Rate (MPR), set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), serves as a benchmark for local interest rates, and is used to regulate money supply within the economy. It influences finance costs, investment decisions and overall economic activity. For businesses, investors, and policymakers alike, understanding how MPR impacts businesses is crucial for navigating through economic challenges and opportunities.
Financing Decisions
The MPR directly impacts the borrowing cost of businesses through interest rates in the economy. MPR is the rate at which the CBN lends to financial institutions and this in turn influences the rate at which these financial institutions on-lend within the economy. Therefore, an increase in MPR will increase finance costs within the economy.
The effects of MPR on savings and investments in Nigeria are varied. While a high-yield environment should stimulate supply of capital, this environment might be perceived as risky for the private sector and even riskier for businesses providing discretionary goods and services. As such, conservative capital may be less available for most businesses in Nigeria in a high yield environment. For a business, this means that understanding your business, investor sentiments and the impact of MPR on capital accessibility may be essential in devising an effective financing strategy.
Foreign Currency Exchange Rate
MPR further influences the value of the Naira through the effects of the demand and supply of the currency. CBN’s Monetary Policy Rate affects the yields on securities in Nigeria. Government Treasuries, Corporate Bonds and other financial securities are priced relative to the current yield levels. A high yield environment attracts foreign investments which drives demand for the Naira and in turn leads to an appreciation of the currency. It is useful for businesses that engage in foreign trade or that are affected by currency movements to understand how these policies may affect their businesses.
Inflationary Environments
MPR is a major tool used by the CBN to manage the level of inflation in Nigeria. This is achieved by adjusting MPR to affect the demand for goods and services thereby influencing general price levels in a predominantly-demand fueled (demand-push) inflationary environment. The CBN has been known to use the MPR tool strongly in the fight against inflation. The knowledge of the interconnectivity of these variables amongst themselves, and the CBN’s usage of MPR in inflationary environments is useful to help businesses effectively manage their operations.
In conclusion, the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) has a notable impact on businesses in Nigeria and these businesses can leverage on expert advice from our financial analysts at DLM Advisory to navigate the challenging economic environment.
Etim is the VP, Investment Banking, DLM Advisory
