Impact of Monetary Policy (Interest Rate) Regimes on the Performance of the Banking Sector in Nigeria

This paper examined the impact of monetary policy regimes on the performance of ommercial banks in Nigeria. The paper used Descriptive and Ex-post Facto Research Design. It utilized time series data collected from Central Bank of Nigeria Bulletin. The study was divided into SAP Period (1986-1999) and Post SAP Period (2000 -2013). Eight Research Questions and eight Hypotheses were raised for the study. Regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation technique were used to analyze the data collected while t-test statistic was employed in testing the hypotheses. Monetary Policy Rate was the independent variable while Total Assets Value, Deposit Mobilization, Loans and Advances and Credit to the Private Sector were the dependent variable in different regression equations. The study discovered that Monetary Policy Rate during the SAP Period did not have significant impact on the Total Assets Value, Deposit Mobilization, Loans and Advances and Credit to the Private Sector while Monetary Policy Rate during the Post SAP Period had significant impact on the Total Assets Value, Deposit Mobilization, Loans and Advances and Credit to the Private Sector respectively. The paper recommended that policy makers should administer the Monetary Policy instruments to ensure they are effective in generating and stimulating the desired level of economic activity in the banking sector. It further recommended that political interferences which distort the performance in the banking industry be minimized.