Zenith Bank Plc has been ranked as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier -1 Capital for the 16th year in a row. This was announced in the 2025 edition of the Top 1000 World Banks Ranking by The Banker magazine, a publication of the Financial Times Group in the UK.
Zenith Bank was placed 581st in the world, with a Tier- 1 Capital of $2 billion. This ranking is based on the bank’s 2024 financial results and reflects its strength and stability.
Tier-1 Capital shows how strong a bank is financially. It includes money like shareholders’ equity, reserves, and profits kept in the bank. A higher Tier-1 capital means the bank is strong, well prepared for risks, and trusted by investors and customers.
Dr. Adaora Umeoji, the Group Managing Director and CEO of Zenith Bank, said the bank is proud to maintain its top spot in Nigeria for the 16th year. She said this success comes from good financial performance, smart risk management, and a strong focus on customers.
She also praised the bank’s founder and chairman, Jim Ovia, for his leadership. Dr. Umeoji thanked the customers for their loyalty, the board for good governance, and the staff for their hard work.
According to Zenith Bank’s 2024 audited financial report: Gross earnings grew by 86%, from ₦2.13 trillion in 2023 to ₦3.97 trillion in 2024,Interest income increased by 138%, due to smart investments in government securities and more loans. Profit before tax rose by 67%, reaching ₦1.3 trillion in 2024 from N796 billion in 2023. This performance saw the bank record an historic total dividend payout of N195.67 billion at N5.00 per ordinary share in the 2024 financial year.
Zenith Bank has received many national and international awards for its performance and innovation Bank of the Year (Nigeria) by The Banker in 2020, 2022, and 2024.Best Bank in Nigeria by Global Finance in 2020–2022, 2024, and 2025.Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria by Euromoney in 2023.Best Commercial Bank in Nigeria by World Finance (2021–2024).Most Sustainable Bank by International Banker in 2023 and 2024.Best in Corporate Governance by Ethical Boardroom from 2020 to 2023.
Other awards includes :Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria (2020, 2021)Retail Bank of the Year (2020–2022, 2024)
Best in MSME Trade Finance by Naira metrics (2023)
Most Responsible Organisation in Africa and Best in Gender Equality at SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024
Bank of the Year 2024 by This Day and New Telegraph Newspapers
Best Public Offer of the Year by Naira metrics (2025)
In summary, Zenith Bank’s continued top ranking and strong financial performance show it is a leader in Nigeria’s banking industry and a key player on the global stage.
