Banking
Nigeria’s 5 Biggest Banks Generate N2tr in 9Months, Post N418b Profit as Assets Hit N21tr
By Dipo Olowookere
The ‘big five’ banks in Nigeria; First Bank, UBA, GTBank, Access Bank and Zenith Bank under the nickname FUGAZ, generated nearly N2 trillion (precisely N1.979 trillion) as revenue in the first nine months of 2017 compared with N1.338 trillion they achieved in the corresponding period of 2016.
This is according to the Q3 financial statements released by the lenders last month to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for the period ended September 30, 2017, which was analysed by Business Post Nigeria.
From the analysis, Zenith Bank raked the highest figure during the period under review, N531.226 billion versus N380.352 billion last year.
It was closely followed by First Bank, which earned N439.2 billion in 2017 against N417.4 billion in 2016, and Access Bank, which posted N365.055 billion as gross revenue in Q3 2017 in contrast to N275 billion in the same period of 2016.
UBA came fourth with N333.905 billion generated as revenue in Q3 of 2017 versus N265.527 billion in 2016; and GTBank, which came last, suffered a drop in its revenue in the period under review; N310 billion in 2017 against N329.284 billion in 2016.
Further analysis by Business Post Nigeria showed that the five banks grew their profits during the period by 16.5 percent, posting a cumulative gain of N417.967 billion in 2017 in contrast to N358.677 billion in the same period of last year.
A breakdown showed GTBank recording the highest gain; N125.577 billion in Q3 of 2017 versus N117.081 billion in Q3 of 2016.
Zenith Bank came second with N129.235 billion posted as profit in Q3 of 2017 against N95.386 billion in Q3 of 2016; and UBA claimed the third position with N60.920 billion posted as profit in Q3 of 2017 compared with N49.512 billion a year ago.
Access Bank recorded N56.396 billion profit in the period under review against N54.081 billion posted 12 months ago; while First Bank declared N45.839 billion as profit in Q3 of 2017 versus N42.617b in Q3 of 2016.
Also, the FUGAZ banks increased their total assets during the first nine months of this year, with the value of their assets closing at N20.520 trillion in the period under review against N19.581 trillion as at December 31, 2016.
Zenith Bank remains number one with N5.132 trillion total assets as at September 30, 2017 against N4.739 trillion as at December 31, 2016.
It was trailed by First Bank, which has N4.864 trillion as total assets as at September 30, 2017 versus N4.737 trillion as at December 31, 2016; and UBA, which has assets worth N3.771 trillion as at September 30, 2017 compared with N3.505 trillion as at December 31, 2016.
Access Bank’s total assets stood at N3.541 trillion in the period under review compared with N3.484 trillion as at December 31, 2016; while GTBank recorded a total assets of N3.212 trillion as at September 30, 2017 in contrast to N3.116 trillion as at December 31, 2016.
Business Post Nigeria reports that as at the close of business on Thursday, shares of three of the FUGAZ banks were pointing north, while two were pointing south.
GTBank, which closed the day at N42.50k per share, rose by 0.95 percent; First Bank increased by 0.7 percent to end at N7.24k per share; and Access Bank improved by 0.2 percent to finish at N10.3k per share.
Zenith Bank went down by 1.88 percent to settle at N25.10k per share, while UBA depreciated by 1.02 percent to end at N9.70k per share.
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
About N2 billion is expected to be used to finance renewable energy products for customers by the end of 2026 in an effort to accelerate Nigeria’s clean energy transition.
To meet this goal, Sterling Bank is launching Sterling Solar Financing Hubs inside StarTimes retail outlets to embed on-the-spot solar financing at the point of purchase.
From the N2 billion earmarked for this initiative, N600 million has already been used up.
Under this programme, customers can now walk into participating outlets, select their preferred solar solution, receive financial guidance from dedicated Sterling Solar Financing Advisors, and begin the financing process immediately, subject to the bank’s credit assessment.
The first phase of the rollout commenced this July with five Solar Financing Hubs across Lagos, located in Lekki, Ikeja, Festac, Surulere, and Victoria Island.
The network will expand rapidly to 46 StarTimes outlets nationwide before the end of the third quarter of 2026, with a view to extending the model to more than 200 StarTimes locations nationwide.
Both parties have promised to continue working together to democratise access to clean energy financing, empowering more Nigerians to solarise their homes and businesses while contributing to a greener future.
“Sterling exists to enrich lives, and we believe that access to clean, reliable energy should be within everyone’s reach. Through this partnership with StarTimes, we are democratising access to solar by bringing financing directly to the point of need, enabling more families and businesses to transition to sustainable energy without the burden of prohibitive upfront costs. This is about unlocking opportunity, improving livelihoods, and powering Nigeria’s future,” the Divisional Head of Renewable Energy and Mobility at Sterling Bank, Mr Darlington Nwankwo, said.
Also commenting, the Vice President of StarTimes Nigeria, Mr Eric Xiao, said, “With the rollout of the Sterling Solar Financing Hubs, we are doing more than just selling solar products; we are building a sustainable energy ecosystem. By integrating StarTimes’ extensive service network with Sterling Bank’s professional financial services, we are significantly lowering the barrier for Nigerian households and small businesses to access clean energy.
“Moving forward, we will continue to deepen this partnership, ensuring that more Nigerians can enjoy reliable, affordable, and smart energy solutions, ultimately turning our vision of energy accessibility into a reality for all.”
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour of Stanbic IBTC Bank made a detour to Jogor Centre, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, to empower Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs).
The event brought together business leaders, development partners and government representatives to discuss pathways for sustainable enterprise development across the South-West.
Participants engaged in practical masterclasses on export opportunities; access to finance and business growth strategies; gaining actionable insights into market expansion; trade documentation; credit readiness; financial record-keeping; and structured financing solutions designed to support long-term business success.
The Head of Enterprise Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Ms Olajumoke Bello, informed participants that the programme is part of the lender’s commitments to supporting MSMEs through practical business education, strategic partnerships and improved access to growth opportunities.
The Executive Director of Business and Commercial Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Remy Osuagwu, on his part, said, “Our ambition is to be more than a financial institution to Nigerian businesses. We want to be a trusted growth partner, providing the financing, business insights and advisory support entrepreneurs need to build sustainable enterprises and unlock new opportunities.”
Similarly, the chief executive of Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr Wole Adeniyi, who reinforced the company’s commitment to enterprise development, highlighted the importance of providing businesses with the right support structures to enable sustainable growth and long-term competitiveness.
“At Stanbic IBTC, we believe that sustainable economic growth depends on the success of small and growing businesses. That is why we are focused on providing access to finance, practical advisory support and the connections businesses need to move from ambition to scale,” he stated.
The Oyo State Commissioner for Investment, Trade, Cooperatives, and Industry, Professor Soliu Adelabu, said the initiative was designed to support businesses and strengthen the state’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, praising the bank for its support for traders, entrepreneurs, and artisans in the state.
The Permanent Secretary in the Oyo State Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Inclusion, Mrs O.M. Shotonwa-Roagess, highlighted the importance of strategic partnerships in expanding economic opportunities for women and vulnerable groups across Oyo State. She noted that the ministry remains open to collaborating with organisations such as Stanbic IBTC, development partners and the private sector to drive financial inclusion, entrepreneurship and sustainable economic empowerment.
The Nigeria Business Summit Regional Tour forms part of Stanbic IBTC’s broader commitment to empowering entrepreneurs through capacity building, financial inclusion and strategic business support, helping enterprises unlock new opportunities for growth and long-term success.
The Ibadan leg built on the momentum of previous tour stops in Katsina and Aba.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Yemi Cardoso, says Nigeria anticipates remittances from citizens living abroad to increase by two-thirds in 2026 as it seeks to bolster its foreign-exchange reserves to $1 billion monthly.
“We are expecting that by the end of the year, we will hit about a billion Dollars a month from diaspora remittances,” he said at the 14th Annual BusinessDay CEO Forum in Lagos on Thursday, themed From Stability to Shared Prosperity.
Mr Cardoso said remittances are expected to be boosted from more than $600 million currently, banking on the CBN’s deliberate target at remittances to diversify reserve sources beyond oil earnings.
According to him, the apex bank engaged Nigerians abroad, banks and international partners to identify barriers to official remittance flows.
He said the lender subsequently reviewed policies to ensure easier movement of funds into and out of the country.
Mr Cardoso described the approach as providing free entry and free exit for foreign exchange.
He said the reforms helped double diaspora inflows within one year and exceeded initial expectations, also projecting annual remittances could reach about $8 billion if the current momentum was sustained, adding that the development reflected growing confidence in Nigeria’s financial system and foreign exchange market.
Mr Cardoso said reforms introduced by the apex bank had restored stability in the foreign exchange market and improved investors’ confidence.
He identified exchange rate unification as one of the central bank’s major achievements under the reforms programme.
According to him, replacing multiple exchange rate windows with a market-driven system eliminated distortions and improved transparency.
Mr Cardoso said improved foreign exchange liquidity and stronger reserves were among the gains from the reforms.
He said Nigeria’s net external reserves had risen from about $3 billion at the start of the reforms to above $40 billion currently, noting that gross external reserves had grown to about $52 billion, representing about 10 months of import cover.
According to him, the reserves are designed to shield the economy from external shocks and excessive market volatility.
He said the reserves were not meant for routine interventions or day-to-day exchange rate management.
