Business
Nigeria’s inflation rises to 34.80% in December as CPPE calls for monetary policy adjustments

Nigeria’s inflation rate surged to 34.80 percent in December 2024 from 34.60 percent in November.
This is according to the latest Consumer Price Index and inflation data released on Wednesday by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS.
While the country’s inflation continues to rise, the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, CPPE, has identified tips for its moderation.
The December inflation data showed that the country’s inflation further rose marginally by 0.20 percent due to heightened demand for goods and services during the festive season.
On a year-on-year basis, the December inflation rate marked a significant increase of 5.87 percentage points compared to 28.92 percent in December 2023.
The untamed rise in the Nigeria’s inflation highlights the upward trajectory in consumer prices, driven by economic challenges such as currency depreciation, high energy costs and persistent supply chain disruptions.
“On a year-on-year basis, the headline inflation rate was 5.87 percent higher than the rate recorded in December 2023 (28.92 percent). This shows that the headline inflation rate (on a year-on-year basis) increased in December 2024 compared to the same month in the preceding year (i.e., December 2023),” NBS stated.
Meanwhile, NBS said Nigeria’s food inflation dropped marginally to 39.83 percent in December 2024 from 39.93 percent in November on a year-on-year basis.CPPE reacts
Reacting, the Chief Executive Officer at the Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise, Muda Yusuf, said the inflationary pressures continue to be a troubling feature of the Nigerian economy as reflected in December’s inflation rate.
“Though the increase in the December headline inflation was marginal at 0.2% compared with November inflation figures.
”However, Yusuf is optimistic that Nigeria’s inflation would have a positive outlook in 2025 due to moderation in exchange rate volatility and improvement in foreign reserves.
“Meanwhile, the inflation outlook for 2025 promises to be positive for the following reasons: Sustained moderation in exchange rate volatility and improvements in foreign reserves.
“Prospects of easing geopolitical tensions with the inception of the Trump presidency in a few days time.
“And a strong base effect, given the high inflationary pressures experienced in 2024,” he stated.
The economic think tank group, CPPE, also decried the current fixation of the National Assembly on revenue, especially the arbitrary revenue targets for ministries, departments, and agencies.
“Excessive pressure on MDAs to boost revenue and increase IGR has profound inflationary implications.
“The reality is that such pressures are invariably transmitted to investors in the form of higher fees, levies, penalties, import duties, regulatory charges, etc. These outcomes are in conflict with government aspirations to boost investment, curb inflation, and create jobs.
“Revenue targets should be based on empirical studies, absorptive capacity of the economy, and due consideration of the wider economic implications.
“Obsession with revenue would hurt investments, worsen inflationary pressures, aggravate poverty, and impede economic growth.
There should be a careful balancing act between revenue growth aspirations, desire to boost investment, and commitment to moderate inflation,” CPPE stated.
How Nigeria’s inflation rate can drop – CPPE, CPPE highlighted that Nigeria’s inflation can moderate on pause of monetary tightening policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, reducing fiscal risks.
“To ensure a further moderation in inflationary pressures, CPPE recommends as follows: “Pause on monetary policy tightening and interest rate hikes by the CBN to reduce business operating costs.
“Reduction in fiscal risks to macroeconomic stability through a reduction in fiscal deficit and deceleration in growth of public debt,” the CPPE stated.
Business
MTN Group says it’s under US investigation

South African mobile operator MTN Group said Monday it was under US investigation over its activities in Iran and Afghanistan, at a time of icy ties between Washington and Pretoria.
Africa’s biggest telecoms company is already facing court challenges in South Africa by Turkey’s Turkcell, which accuses it of winning the Iranian market through corruption.
In 2006, MTN was chosen over Turkcell to become the 49 percent minority shareholder in Iranian government-controlled mobile phone carrier Irancell.
MTN had been made aware of a US Department of Justice (DoJ) grand jury investigation relating to its former subsidiary in Afghanistan and Irancell, the company said in a statement.
“MTN is cooperating with the DoJ and voluntarily responding to requests for information,” said the statement accompanying the group’s financial results.
Grand juries typically decide whether or not to formally lay charges in a case and take it to trial.
The South African multinational is also facing a court case in the United States from US veterans wounded in Iraq and Afghanistan, as well as relatives of soldiers killed in action, the statement said.
“The plaintiffs’ complaints allege that MTN supported anti-American militias in Iraq and Afghanistan .
Business
UBA Secures N5bn BoI MSME fund for disbursement to key sectors
The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.

•GMD/CEO UBA), Oliver Alawuba.
United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has secured a N5 billion loan facility from the Bank of Industry (BOI), to boost key sectors of the economy and support the growth of sustainable and viable businesses in the country, especially the micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) owned by women.
The facility disbursed through the Federal Government’s MSME Fund, is designed to stimulate key sectors of the economy, while offering affordable financing to support businesses, with a primary focus on Green Energy, Education, Healthcare, and Women-Owned Enterprises.
UBA’s Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, who spoke about the facility emphasised the bank’s commitment to fostering economic growth by empowering MSMEs, which he described as the “livewire of any developing economy.
He said, “At UBA, we recognize the pivotal role MSMEs play in driving economic development, and how they make up a sizeable portion of what drives our economic growth.
It is in this vein that we have decided not to rest on our oars by facilitating initiatives dedicated to empowering businesses with the financial support they need to thrive.”
Alawuba maintained that, “by offering loans at a competitive 9% interest rate with a three-year tenor, we are removing the traditional barriers that hinder SME growth in Nigeria and Africa. And by this, our message to business owners is simple: Don’t let this once-in-a lifetime-opportunity elude you.
”The facility provides a maximum loan amount of N5 million per obligor, with a three-month moratorium on principal repayments, ensuring businesses have ample time to stabilise before they begin to service the loans.
Business
CPPE Proposes Policy Action to Reduce Food Prices
Dr Muda Yusuf, the Director/CEO of CPPE, noted that while progress has been made in moderating headline and core inflation, the persistence of food and month-on-month price increases highlights unresolved structural weaknesses.

The Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprise (CPPE) says that a coordinated mix of monetary, fiscal, and structural interventions will be required by the Central Bank of Nigeria, and the Ministry of Finance to consolidate recent drops in inflation and steer the economy toward sustained stability.
CPPE suggested in reaction to the July 2025 inflation reported by the NBS
The headline inflation declined for the fourth consecutive month, easing from 22.22% in June to 21.88% in July, a deceleration of 0.34%Month-on-month food inflation also moderated, falling from 3.25% in June to 3.12% in July, while core inflation posted marginal declines year-on-year (-0.03%) and a sharp slowdown month-on-month, from 3.46% to 0.97%.
Dr Muda Yusuf, the Director/CEO of CPPE, noted that while progress has been made in moderating headline and core inflation, the persistence of food and month-on-month price increases highlights unresolved structural weaknesses.
“The July 2025 inflation figures present a mixed outlook for the Nigerian economy, with notable improvements in key indicators but lingering risks that demand policy attention,” he said.
These developments reflect a gradually stabilising macroeconomic environment, supported by exchange rate stability, improved investor confidence, and the lingering impact of import duty waivers on key staples such as rice, maize, and sorghum.
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