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 percent, according to Proshare’s 2025 Tier 1 Banking Report released, recently. 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 percent, FirstHoldco at 82 percent, UBA at 64 percent, and GTCO at 55 percent.

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.

The Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has urged Dangote Refinery to sell premium motor spirit (petrol) at N770 per litre.

The spokesperson of IPMAN, Chinedu Ukadike, said this on Monday.

Ukadike was reacting to comments by businessman, Aliko Dangote, who said Nigeria’s petrol is less expensive, as his refinery ex-depot price stood at N825 per litre.

However, Ukadike noted that PMS is not cheap owing to the country’s position as a crude oil producer.

According to him, the exchange rate is a major determinant in PMS price in Nigeria, noting a drop in exchange from N1,600 to around N1,200 would bring down the price to below N750 per litre.

“On my part, I don’t feel it’s cheap. I think the petrol will go as low as around N770. That’s my own permutation. I’m not an expert in oil refining. But with what I have gathered — the refinery production costs and the landing at the depot cost, petrol should not be more than N780 or N750, in line with the dollar rate. Now the rate is around N1,600 per dollar; should it appreciate further, PMS from Dangote Refinery should be N750 per litre.

“So, if the dollar can come down to N1,200, I want to tell you that the price of PMS at the pumps will go below N750,” he added.

Dangote, barely a week ago, said Nigeria’s petrol price is 55 percent below the West African average.

He reiterated recently that Nigeria’s petrol price is not expensive.

Nigerians currently buy petrol between N875 and N910 in Lagos and Abuja.

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has launched a new feature called Advance Top-Up on its USSD banking platform *919#, which is designed to provide instant access to airtime and data for its customers especially when they are out of call credit or disconnected from the internet.

The new feature, which can be accessed through *919*9#, was unveiled at the UBA head office in Marina on Thursday, allowing customers to borrow airtime or data directly from their mobile devices, offering a fast, dependable solution.

UBA’s Group Head, Retail and Digital Banking, Shamsideen Fashola, who spoke during the official launch, described the feature as a timely addition to the bank’s digital offerings and a testament to its customer-first approach.

“At UBA, we are constantly looking for ways to make banking and everyday services more accessible for our customers. With the launch of Advance Top-Up on our USSD platform, *919*9#, we are giving our customers the power to stay connected without interruption, regardless of time, location, or airtime balance,” Shamsideen said.

UBA’s Advance Top-Up which is now live on *919*9#, joins a wide range of services on the platform, which include airtime and data purchases, money transfers to UBA and other banks, account balance checks, card blocking and freezing, online transaction controls, bill payments, and more.
Fashola emphasised the simplicity and convenience of the solution, adding that “You don’t need to download an app or visit a data centre. Just dial *919*9#, follow the prompt, and you’re immediately connected. It’s simple, fast, and reliable.”
The Bank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communication, Alero Ladipo, added that the feature was developed based on real feedback from customers and their evolving needs.

“Our users asked for a way to stay connected when they have no airtime, and as always, we have come up with a quick solution, right there on their phones, instantly, with no fuss, and no need for internet connectivity. Whether for emergency communications or business continuity, *919*9# puts instant connectivity in every customer’s hands,” she explained.
She explained that only recently, the bank unveiled its newly improved Point of Sale (POS) Terminal as well as the UBA MONI App to redefine the digital payment landscape and empower small and Medium Scale Enterprises across Africa.

United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally. Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology.