Zenith Bank remained Nigeria's most profitable bank in 2024, with a profit after tax (PAT) of ₦1.03 trillion, a 53% increase from the 2023 value

Key takeaways:

  • Zenith Bank Plc led the profitability ranking with a Profit After Tax (PAT) of ₦1.03 trillion.
  • Guaranty Trust Holding Company followed closely with ₦1.02 trillion in PAT.
  • Each of the top six banks recorded profits exceeding ₦600 billion.
  • The total PAT for the top ten banks rose by 53%, from ₦3.39 trillion in 2023 to ₦5.54 trillion in 2024.
  • FCMB Group Plc was the only bank among the top ten to record a year-on-year decline in PAT.
  • Ecobank, First Holdco, Fidelity Bank, and Wema Bank each recorded over 100% growth in PAT compared to 2023.

The Nigerian banking sector posted robust financial results in 2024, with the ten most profitable banks collectively reporting a profit after tax (PAT) of ₦5.54 trillion. This marks a significant 53% increase from the ₦3.39 trillion recorded in 2023.

 

Zenith Bank Plc topped the profitability chart with a PAT of ₦1.03 trillion, closely followed by Guaranty Trust Holding Company, which posted ₦1.02 trillion. United Bank for Africa (UBA) and Ecobank ranked third and fourth with ₦766.6 billion and ₦735.9 billion, respectively. First Holdco Plc and Access Holdings also recorded strong profits, each exceeding ₦600 billion.

 

Other banks on the top ten list include Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Wema Bank, and FCMB Group Plc, with profits ranging from ₦279 billion to ₦73 billion. Notably, FCMB was the only bank on the list to experience a decline in profit compared to the previous year.

Source:

NGX

Period:

2024
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  • Zenith Bank currently has the highest capital among the banks shown, reaching about ₦614 billion.
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  • Fidelity Bank raised the largest single capital injection in the group, about ₦437.85 billion, pushing its total capital to ₦564.5 billion.
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Nigeria had about 135 bank accounts per 100 people in 2025, up from 32 bank accounts in 2017
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  • POS terminals now function as mini-banks in many communities.
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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.

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