Zenith Bank Plc has retained its position as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year, in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks’ Rankings, published by The Banker, Financial Times Group, United Kingdom. This ranking places Zenith Bank Plc as the 581st Bank globally, with a Tier-1 Capital of $2 billion.
The global rankings, published in the July 2025 edition of The Banker, was based on the 2024 year-end Tier-1 capital of banks. This is the primary basis for most international organizations’ assessments of banks. Commenting on this achievement, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, said:
“We are thrilled to have retained our position yet again as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital for the 16th consecutive year. This achievement is a reflection of the bank’s robust financial performance, prudent risk management and steadfast dedication to delivering exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders”.
She thanked the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his visionary and transformative leadership which has played a pivotal role in cultivating a resilient and thriving institution. She also expressed her deepest appreciation to the bank’s esteemed customers for their continued loyalty to the Zenith brand, the Board for the sound corporate governance, and the staff for their relentless & tireless efforts in ensuring the bank’s success.
Tier-1 Capital describes capital adequacy, the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s pering more efficient and improve value across the value chain by working closely with the Nigerian Upstream Investment Management Services (NUIMS) and other stakeholders
“There is a requirement for us to push the envelope. We cannot rest on our oars,” he said. He explained that Nigeria can achieve the ambition of net-zero emissions and at the same time provide cost-effective and efficient energy for a rising population by optimizing investments in hydrocarbon energy sources and quick renewable opportunities.
On the efforts of Shell towards net-zero emissions, the Managing Director said the company’s refreshed Powering Progress strategy aims to accelerate the transition “purposefully and profitably to low-carbon businesses by the early 2030s.” He added: “It is important that government continues to support these efforts and those of other industry players through the right polices and creation of a conducive environment for businesses to thrive.” spective.
According to the ranking, Tier-1 Capital, as defined by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) guidelines, includes loss-absorbing capital, i.e., common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings, and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned.
A strong Tier-1 capital ratio boosts investor and depositor confidence, indicating the Bank is well-capitalised and financially stable. According to the audited financial results for the 2024 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), the Bank recorded a double-digit growth of 86% in gross earnings, increasing from N2.13 trillion in 2023 to N3.97 trillion in 2024.
This growth was driven by a 138 per cent increase in interest income, supported by investment in high-yield government securities, and growth in the Bank’s loan book. Zenith Bank’s profit before tax (PBT) rose by 67 per cent, reaching N1.3 trillion in 2024 from N796 billion in 2023. This performance saw the bank record an unprecedented total dividend payout of N195.67 billion at N5.00 per ordinary share in the 2024 financial year.
