$2bn Tier-1 capital: Zenith Bank emerges number one bank in Nigeria for 16th time

Zenith Bank Plc has retained its position as the number one bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year.

Zenith Bank emerged in the 2025 Top 1,000 World Banks’ Rankings, published by The Banker, Financial Times Group, United Kingdom.

This ranking places Zenith Bank 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 organisations’ assessments of banks.

Speaking on the feat, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dr Adaora Umeoji, 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.

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“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.”

Umeoji thanked the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Jim Ovia, for his visionary and transformative leadership which she said has played a pivotal role in cultivating a resilient and thriving institution.

She also expressed her appreciation to the bank’s customers for their continued loyalty to bank, the Board for the sound corporate governance, and the staff for their relentless and 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 perspective.

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.

The Star