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
HTML code to embed chart
Want a bespoke report?
Reach out
Tags
Related Insights

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.

Total microfinance deposits in Kenya only grew 1.66% CAGR over 10 years, ending at KSh 43.0B
  • Microfinance deposits in Kenya grew at only 1.66% CAGR between 2014 and 2024.
  • The peak occurred in 2021 at KSh 50.2B, after which deposits began a steady decline.
  • 2015 (+13.2%) and 2020 (+12.3%) posted the strongest year-on-year growth rates.
  • The sector saw consecutive contractions from 2022 (-7.3%), 2023 (-5.7%), to 2024 (-2.0%).
  • Despite small rebounds in 2018 (+7.3%) and 2019 (+12.3%), the long-term trend is weak.

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