By Rukayat Moisemhe

The Publisher of The TMBC Business, Mr Tony Monye, has commended the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria for reducing the Monetary Policy Rate by 50 basis points to 26.5 per cent from 27.0 per cent.

Monye made this known in Lagos on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the committee’s decision to begin a gradual monetary loosening was timely and appropriate, given the improving macroeconomic conditions.

NAN reports that the MPC, at its latest meeting, lowered the benchmark interest rate by 0.50 percentage points, citing sustained dis-inflation and improving economic fundamentals.

Monye described the move as a cautious and responsive approach needed to consolidate recent gains in price stability.

“I doubt there are sane economic players out there that aren’t applauding the members of the MPC.“The system needs this sort of decision at this time. So, members of the committee should be commended,” he said.

Monye noted that recent policy measures by government had helped align key price indicators in the economy, including inflation, exchange rate and interest rate, towards planned targets.

According to him, inflation has maintained a steady month-on-month decline, while the naira has continued to strengthen in the foreign exchange market.

He added that interest rates had remained relatively stable, creating a more predictable environment for investors and other economic agents.

“With policies, appropriateness should be accompanied by right timing buoyed by the right level of implementation,” Monye said, in support of the MPC’s gradual easing stance.

He expressed optimism that the measured rate cut would support investment and economic expansion without undermining price stability.

NAN further reports that The TMBC Business, a monthly non-street journal, aimed at select C-suite executives and online readers, will celebrate its second anniversary in April.

Monye said the anniversary would be commemorated with a series of programmes, including a seminar to be anchored by seasoned experts in the corporate communications community.

Dangote Petroleum Refinery has reviewed the price of its Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) gantry price by N100, bringing the ex-depot rate to N874 per litre from the previous N774, as international crude oil prices surged past $80 per barrel due to the ongoing U.S – Israeli war against Iran.

A senior refinery official who confirmed the adjustment on Monday, said that the price has been reviewed.

” The new gantry price is now N874 per litre, up from N774. The revision became necessary due to changes in global crude fundamentals and replacement costs,” the official said.

Checks on petroleumprice.ng indicate that the new pricing has already been implemented, signaling a shift in downstream benchmarks that will likely affect petrol retail prices across the country.

The price hike followed the refinery’s suspension of petrol loading operations, effective midnight on March 2, 2026.

Industry data showed that PMS loading and issuance of proforma invoices were temporarily halted, although the suspension applied only to petrol, while Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) continued to load uninterrupted.

The refinery’s move triggered a ripple effect across Nigeria’s downstream sector, with several private depot owners halting petrol sales during the trading day.

“Several depot owners suspended PMS sales because of the crude rally. The market is already factoring in risk premiums. Nobody wants to sell below replacement cost,” a downstream operator was quoted as saying.

• Tony Onwuchekwa, Group Director of Communications

Global Links and Services Ltd (operating as Global Links Travel & Tours), a fully licensed IATA Travel Agency based in Nigeria, says that it’s poised to integrate Namibia into its tours and pilgrimage offerings.

Tony Onwuchekwa, the company’s Group Director of Communications, who disclosed this, and advocates for policy changes to ease intra-African travel.

Onwuchekwa said that the motivation to add Namibia to its travel destinations package was ignited by it’s participation in the just ended Namibia Tourism Board (NTB) and South African Airways (SAA) B2B Stakeholders Meeting in Windhoek.

He emphasised that with over 20 years of experience in crafting seamless travel experiences across Nigeria and beyond, Global Links and Services Ltd is poised to advance intra-Africa tourism, experiential travel, and investment opportunities in Namibia, aligning with its mission to transform travel dreams into reality through expertly curated itineraries, flights, tours, hotels, transfers, study abroad services, and faith-based pilgrimages.

According to him, the company has gained firsthand insights to develop authentic, budget-friendly packages that highlight Namibia’s cultural heritage, wildlife, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) potential.

“Global Links is committed to bridging Africa’s tourism gaps through strategic collaborations and immersive experiences,” said Tony Onwuchekwa.

“This event aligns perfectly with our vision of linking clients to the world’s wonders, and going forward, we’ll leverage our expertise in promoting African destinations to position Namibia as a must-visit hub for bleisure and adventure travellers,” he said.