The Chartered Institute of Directors (CIoD) Nigeria has advised firms to explore alternative financing channels in boosting resilience rather than awaiting interest rate relief by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The institute said financing channels such as diaspora bonds, green finance and venture capital, with internal cost control measures, digital transformation, and strategic partnerships, would be crucial in boosting resilience.

The institute said the apex bank’s decision to maintain the monetary policy rate (MPR) at 27.5 per cent during its July 2025 Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting was “a philosophical stance anchored on patience and stability”.

“For directors, this monetary policy sends a mixed signal. On one hand, the decision provides a sense of predictability and policy continuity, which is valuable for strategic planning and risk assessment. On the other hand, it amplifies uncertainty in investment strategy, as high borrowing costs persist and liquidity constraints deepen,” it said.

For Nigeria to progress, the institute said, stability must not be mistaken for stasis but must become the foundation upon which bolder policies, strategic corporate actions, and inclusive economic reforms are built.

While it advised that corporate boards must embrace adaptive risk management, the CIoD’s Research and Advocacy Department, on its take on the CBN’s decision, queried how long businesses could absorb the costs of capital under tight policy conditions.

For many observers, it said, the decision was not merely technocratic but represents a deeper policy philosophy, one that seems to prioritise macroeconomic stability over short-term growth stimulus.

But beneath the façade of monetary discipline, the institute said, “lies a more complex terrain, a paradox that pits caution against innovation, restraint against enterprise and policy orthodoxy against the evolving realities of Nigeria’s corporate economy”.It said directors must now prioritise operational efficiency, capital structure optimisation and technology adoption.