Nigeria’s Biggest Banks Lead Africa in Brand Value Growth Rate

Jim Ovia's Zenith Bank Tops Africa With 33.6% Brand Growth

Jim Ovia built Zenith Bank from a Lagos startup with N20 million in paid-up capital in 1990 into one of Africa's most formidable financial institutions. In 2026, the brand he created is officially the fastest-growing banking brand on the continent.Brand Finance's latest annual ranking of African banking brands shows Zenith Bank recording a 33.6 percent surge in brand value, the highest growth rate of any lender assessed across 22 African banks i…

Nigeria’s Biggest Banks Lead Africa in Brand Value Growth Rate

…recapitalisation drive lifts combined value to $1.8bn in 2026 Nigeria’s largest banks recorded the highest brand value growth among African peers in 2026, as a sweeping recapitalisation drive reshaped the country’s banking landscape and strengthened balance sheets. A BusinessDay analysis of the latest report by Brand Finance shows that the top five lenders in the continent’s most populous nation—Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO…