Recent Data on Nigerias Real GDP growth rate (Year-on-Year) declined by 0.73 percentage points, from 2.84 per cent in 2015Q3 to 2.11 percent in 2015Q4. The slowdown in economic growth was largely driven by the decline in the performance of the oil sector which was occasioned by the slump in crude oil prices and the slight drop in the volume of crude oil produced. Specifically, compared to the 1.05 percent growth recorded in 2015Q3, the oil sector witnessed a negative growth of 8.28 percent in 2015Q4.

In the crude oil market, OPECs weekly basket price increased 1.07 percent from $29.02 per barrel in February 19 to $29.33 per barrel in February 26. A combination of factors were responsible for the slight price increase. First, a decrease in the number of active oil rigs in the US2 (the lowest since 2009) may have marginally eased the glut in the crude oil market. The ongoing efforts by OPEC and other major oil producers such as Russia to freeze oil production have also played a significant role in stemming the downward trend in oil prices. With the current market conditions, the price of crude oil is expected to maintain a fairly stable and modest upward trajectory in the near term.