Access Holdings Plc has emerged as Nigeria’s Tier 1 bank with the best asset quality, boasting the lowest Non-Performing Loan Ratio (NPLR) of 2.76%, according to the recently released 2025 Tier 1 Banking Report by Proshare.
This notable recognition underscores the group’s excellence in credit discipline, proactive risk management, and commitment to sustainable lending.
Titled “The Class of 2025: Getting Bigger, Bolder, and Dominant”, the report ranked Access Holdings second overall in the Tier 1 banking category. It closely followed Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), which led with a perfect 100 percentile score. Access Holdings secured the 91st percentile, outperforming major peers such as FirstHoldco (82%), Zenith Bank (73%), UBA (64%), and GTCO (55%).
In terms of NPLR performance, Access Holdings maintained a remarkable 2.76 percent, outperforming Zenith Bank at 3.54 percent, GTCO at 4.07 percent, UBA at 3.80 percent, ETI at 6.25 percent, and FirstHoldco at 6.70 percent. This places Access Holdings at the forefront of asset quality management among Nigeria’s top banks and reaffirms its reputation for operational discipline amid market volatility.
Commenting on the achievement, 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) introduces a recalibrated framework that reflects the realities of the ongoing recapitalisation exercise in Nigeria’s banking sector. This edition goes beyond traditional financial metrics and incorporates broader determinants of profitability, stability, and stakeholder value. The PBSI model emphasises capital adequacy and scale, asset quality and sustainable growth, digital transformation and earnings diversification, governance quality and board diversity, as well as profitability and cost-efficiency.
Access Holdings demonstrated strong fundamentals across all these parameters. It closed Full Year 2024 with total assets of ₦41.5 trillion and a loan book of ₦13.1 trillion. The Group’s capital adequacy ratio stood at 20.46 percent, while asset growth for the period reached 55.49 percent. Its cost of risk was held at 1.25 percent, net interest margin recorded at 6.80 percent, and earnings growth was an impressive 88.05 percent, all indicators of a business built on financial soundness and execution excellence.
Speaking at the launch event, Olufemi Awoyemi, Chairman of Proshare, described the report as a vital mirror into the shifting dynamics of Nigeria’s financial services industry.
“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 further remarked on the nuance behind ETI’s top ranking, noting, “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 the Class of 2025, particularly Access Holdings, Zenith, UBA, FirstHoldco, GTCO, and ETI, dominate the banking landscape in terms of capital strength, asset size, loan portfolios, and governance quality. However, Access Holdings stands out for its unique blend of low risk, high growth, and strategic foresight, making it not just a leader in numbers but a frontrunner in shaping the future of African banking.
As Nigeria’s financial sector prepares for a more competitive and integrated future, Access Holdings remains committed to building a stronger, smarter, and more inclusive financial services ecosystem across Africa and beyond.
By Lekan Olofinsusi