Heritage Bank’s eventual collapse in 2024 was long in the making

Key takeaways

  • Heritage Bank emerged from the ashes of Société Générale Bank Nigeria (SGBN), which lost its license in 2006.
  • The bank rebranded and re-entered the market in 2012, later acquiring Enterprise Bank in 2014 to expand its reach.
  • Despite its growth, financial instability and poor loan performance plagued its operations.
  • By 2021, it recorded a staggering 81.2% non-performing loan (NPL) ratio.
  • Regulatory pressures mounted, leading to the revocation of its banking license in June 2024.

Heritage Bank’s story is one of ambition, expansion, and financial distress. Originally operating as Société Générale Bank Nigeria (SGBN), it lost its license in 2006 before rebranding as Heritage Bank in 2012. The bank made a bold move in 2014 by acquiring Enterprise Bank, significantly increasing its footprint in the industry. However, the rapid expansion came with growing financial burdens.

By 2021, cracks in Heritage Bank’s foundation became evident. It posted an ₦82.9 billion loss, largely due to a non-performing loan ratio of over 81%, one of the highest ever recorded in Nigeria. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) closely monitored the situation, and by 2024, it was clear the bank was no longer viable. With its license revoked, Heritage Bank became another cautionary tale of how mismanagement and financial instability could bring down even a once-promising institution.

Source:

CBN, Media reports

Period:

1977-2024
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Click to copy HTML embed code
Tags
Related Insights
Internationally authorised Nigerian banks have raised over ₦3.3tn since March 2024
  • Internationally authorised Nigerian banks have raised and injected over ₦3.3 trillion in new capital since March 2024.
  • The recapitalisation exercise is being driven by the Central Bank of Nigeria’s requirements, with the deadline expected in March 2026.
  • Zenith Bank currently has the highest capital among the banks shown, reaching about ₦614 billion.
  • Access Holdings has about ₦602.8 billion in total capital.
  • Fidelity Bank raised the largest single capital injection in the group, about ₦437.85 billion, pushing its total capital to ₦564.5 billion.
  • FCMB has the highest previous capital base among the banks listed (₦266.5 billion) before the recapitalisation injection.
Nigeria had about 135 bank accounts per 100 people in 2025, up from 32 bank accounts in 2017
  • Active bank accounts grew from 65 million in 2016 to over 320 million in 2025 — almost a fivefold increase.
  • Bank accounts per 100 people rose from about 32 in 2017 to nearly 135 in 2025.
  • Nigeria now averages more than one bank account per person.
  • The fastest growth phase occurred between 2019 and 2024.
  • Digital banking and fintech adoption played a major role in the surge.
  • The jump after 2020 suggests technology-driven access, not just population growth.
  • Multiple account ownership is now common among users.
Nigeria saw an increase of 2.9 million deployed POS in 2024, following the naira redesign in 2023
  • Deployed POS terminals grew from about 156,000 in 2017 to 8.4 million in 2025.
  • Nigeria added more than eight million terminals in eight years, indicating rapid adoption of digital payments.
  • Growth accelerated sharply after 2020, marking a major shift toward cashless transactions.
  • The highest year-on-year growth (116.8%) occurred in 2024, following the naira redesign.
  • About three million terminals were added in 2024 alone.
  • POS agents became critical financial access points during the period of cash shortage.
  • POS terminals now function as mini-banks in many communities.
  • Financial inclusion has expanded through agent-based banking and POS networks.
UBA is the only Tier 1 bank in Nigeria that grew its profit in the first three quarters of 2025 compared to 2024
  • FUGAZ posted a combined ₦2.91 trillion in profit from Q1 to Q3 of 2025.
  • Access Bank recorded the lowest PAT among the FUGAZ
  • UBA recorded a 3% year-on-year increase in PAT
  • FUGAZ recorded an average year-on-year percentage change of -11.2% for the period
GTCO declared ₦476b profit in H1 2025, with Nigeria contributing over 70% of African operations
  • Nigeria dominates with ₦339.6b, contributing over 70% of GTCO’s total profit after tax in Africa.
  • Ghana (₦61.9b) and Côte d’Ivoire (₦28.2b) followed as the strongest non-Nigerian subsidiaries.
  • Tanzania (₦46m) and Uganda (₦505m) contributed negligible profits compared to peers.
  • GTCO subsidiaries across Africa collectively generated around ₦476b profit after tax in the first half of 2025.
GTCO declared ₦476b profit in H1 2025, with Nigeria contributing over 70% of African operations
  • Nigeria dominates with ₦339.6b, contributing over 70% of GTCO’s total profit after tax in Africa.
  • Ghana (₦61.9b) and Côte d’Ivoire (₦28.2b) followed as the strongest non-Nigerian subsidiaries.
  • Tanzania (₦46m) and Uganda (₦505m) contributed negligible profits compared to peers.
  • GTCO subsidiaries across Africa collectively generated around ₦476b profit after tax in the first half of 2025.
POPULAR TOPICS
SIGN UP TO OUR NEWSLETTER
Get periodic updates about the African startup space, access to our reports, among others.
Subscribe Here
Subscription Form
A product of Techpoint Africa. All rights reserved