Nigeria's ‌central bank kept its key lending ​rate unchanged at 26.50% on Wednesday, ​with Governor Olayemi ​Cardoso saying a cautious and vigilant stance was needed ⁠to anchor inflation expectations and safeguard macroeconomic stability.

Most economists polled by Reuters had ​predicted ‌the Central Bank ⁠of Nigeria ⁠would leave the rate unchanged.

The decision ​follows an ‌interest rate ⁠cut at the central bank's last policy meeting in February, when it lowered its key rate by 50 basis points.

Headline inflation edged up for the second month ‌running in April, as the U.S.-Israeli ⁠war against Iran ​pushed up domestic fuel prices, which fed through into ​food costs.

(Reporting ‌by Elisha Bala-Gbogbo ⁠and Chijioke ​Ohuocha; Editing by Alexander Winning)