Access Holdings PLC has been named Nigeria’s Tier 1 bank with the best asset quality, having recorded the lowest Non-Performing Loan Ratio (NPLR) at 2.76 percent, according to the recently released Proshare 2025 Tier 1 Banking Report.
This achievement reinforces Access Holdings’ leadership in credit discipline, risk management, and sustainable lending practices — placing the bank at the forefront of asset quality performance in the country’s financial sector.
The report, titled “The Class of 2025: Getting Bigger, Bolder, and Dominant”, ranked Access Holdings second overall among Tier 1 banks, just behind Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), which topped the list with a 100th percentile score. Access followed closely at the 91st percentile, ahead of FirstHoldco (82%), Zenith Bank (73%), UBA (64%), and GTCO (55%).
In terms of NPL ratios, Access Holdings outperformed its peers: Zenith Bank posted 3.54%, GTCO 4.07%, UBA 3.80%, ETI 6.25%, and FirstHoldco 6.70%, positioning Access Holdings as the market leader in asset quality management amid growing economic headwinds.
Commenting on the milestone, Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings PLC, said:
“This ranking is not just a measure of our financial health; it reflects the strength of our governance, the quality of our decision-making, and the focus we place on long-term value creation. It is a testament to the discipline of our people and the effectiveness of our pan-African strategy.”
She added:
“At Access Holdings, we believe that sustainable success lies in balancing growth with resilience. We will continue to execute with precision, build with purpose, and innovate with integrity as we expand our presence across Africa and beyond.”
The 2025 edition of the Proshare Bank Strength Index (PBSI) introduced a recalibrated methodology that reflects the current realities of Nigeria’s ongoing banking recapitalisation. It evaluates institutions based on capital adequacy and scale, asset quality and growth sustainability, earnings diversification, governance, and profitability.
Access Holdings delivered strong fundamentals across all measured parameters. For the 2024 financial year, the Group reported total assets of ₦41.5 trillion and a loan book of ₦13.1 trillion. Capital adequacy stood at 20.46%, with a cost of risk of 1.25%, asset growth at 55.49%, net interest margin of 6.80%, and earnings growth of 88.05% — indicators of robust financial performance and sound strategic execution.
At the launch event of the report, Proshare Chairman Olufemi Awoyemi described the findings as a reflection of the evolving dynamics of Nigeria’s financial services sector.
“Access Holdings has proven itself as a strong, adaptive institution. Its robust capital base, successful fundraising, and continental expansion efforts show a group that is not only growing but evolving. As recapitalisation reshapes the banking landscape, institutions like Access Holdings will continue to define the future of finance in Africa,” he stated.
He further clarified the distinction behind ETI’s top ranking:
“ETI remains a unique case due to its pan-African structure and relatively limited regulatory exposure within Nigeria. Unlike Access Holdings and other locally regulated groups that must meet the ₦500 billion recapitalisation threshold, ETI’s broad regional footprint dilutes its local obligations. That distinction must be made when interpreting rankings.”
The report concludes that members of the “Class of 2025” — particularly Access Holdings, ETI, Zenith Bank, UBA, FirstHoldco, and GTCO — dominate Nigeria’s banking landscape in capital strength, asset base, and governance quality. However, Access Holdings stands out for its combination of low risk, high growth, and strategic foresight, positioning it not only as a financial leader but as a driver of the future of African banking.
As the sector moves toward a more competitive and integrated future, Access Holdings says it remains committed to building a stronger, smarter, and more inclusive financial ecosystem across the continent and beyond.
