Access Holdings PLC has been ranked the Tier 1 bank with the best asset quality in Nigeria, having posted the lowest Non-Performing Loan Ratio (NPLR) at 2.76 per cent, according to Proshare’s 2025 Tier 1 Banking Report, which was recently released. This marks a significant achievement for Access Holdings, reinforcing its leadership in credit discipline, risk management, and sustainable lending practices.

The report, titled “The Class of 2025: Getting Bigger, Bolder, and Dominant”, ranks Access Holdings second overall in the Tier 1 category, placing just behind Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), which led with a percentile score of 100. Access Holdings followed closely with a 91st percentile ranking, ahead of Zenith Bank at 73 per cent, FirstHoldco at 82 per cent, UBA at 64 per cent, and GTCO at 55 per cent.

In terms of NPLR performance, Access Holdings maintained a remarkable 2.76 per cent, outperforming Zenith Bank at 3.54 per cent, GTCO at 4.07 per cent, UBA at 3.80 per cent, ETI at 6.25 per cent, and FirstHoldco at 6.70 per cent. This positions Access Holdings at the forefront of asset quality management among Nigeria’s top banks, reaffirming 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 extends beyond traditional financial metrics to incorporate 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 per cent, while asset growth for the period reached 55.49 per cent. Its cost of risk was held at 1.25 per cent, net interest margin recorded at 6.80 per cent, and earnings growth was an impressive 88.05 per cent, 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.