Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) has been named Nigeria’s best-performing bank in The Banker magazine’s Top 1000 World Banks Rankings 2026, the lender said, after topping domestic peers in overall performance, efficiency and financial soundness.
The annual rankings assess banks using audited financial statements and evaluate institutions on measures including financial strength, operational efficiency, liquidity, profitability, growth, leverage and risk management.
GTBank ranked first overall among Nigerian banks and also topped the Efficiency and Soundness categories. It placed second in Return on Risk, Liquidity, Growth, Leverage and Profitability, according to the rankings.
The recognition reflects the bank’s financial performance as competition intensifies among Nigerian lenders navigating high interest rates, currency volatility and a challenging macroeconomic environment.
Reacting to the ranking, GTBank Managing Director Miriam Olusanya said the recognition underscored the lender’s disciplined operating model and the contributions of its employees and customers.
She said the recognition reflected the dedication of the bank’s workforce, the loyalty of its customers and the strength it derives from being part of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO).
According to her, emerging first in overall performance, efficiency and soundness demonstrates the bank’s focus on operational excellence, prudent management and delivering value to customers and shareholders.
“We do not take this recognition for granted. It deepens our resolve to keep raising the bar, to serve our customers better every day, and to remain a bank that consistently delivers value to all its stakeholders,” Olusanya said.
The latest recognition adds to GTBank’s international awards and reinforces its position among Africa’s leading banking institutions.
The bank said the achievement reflects the strength of its business model, disciplined execution and sustained investment in innovation, while underscoring its commitment to delivering quality customer service, driving sustainable growth and creating long-term value for shareholders and the communities where it operates.
GTBank’s market position
GTBank is the flagship banking subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), one of Africa’s largest financial services groups with operations spanning banking, payments, pension fund administration and asset management across Africa and the United Kingdom.
The lender is widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s strongest banks by profitability, capital adequacy and operational efficiency.
GTCO reported profit before tax of 1.23 trillion naira ($800 million) for the year ended Dec. 31, 2025, driven by growth in lending, transaction fees and other core banking income. Profit after tax stood at 865.8 billion naira, while total assets rose to 17.8 trillion naira and customer deposits increased nearly 24% to 12.9 trillion naira.
The group maintained a capital adequacy ratio of 43.8%, well above regulatory requirements, and improved its cost-to-income ratio to 27.9%, among the lowest in Nigeria’s banking sector.
GTCO has also expanded beyond traditional banking through digital payments, pension administration and funds management as it seeks to diversify earnings. The group has invested in digital banking platforms and payment services while continuing to grow transaction-based income.
Chief Executive Segun Agbaje said after the 2025 results that the group remained focused on “scaling our ecosystem, driving innovation across our financial services platform, and delivering consistent, high-quality earnings.”
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Faustine Ngila is the AI Editor at Impact Newswire, based in Nairobi, Kenya. He is an award-winning journalist specializing in artificial intelligence, blockchain, and emerging technologies.
He previously worked as a global technology reporter at Quartz in New York and Digital Frontier in London, where he covered innovation, startups, and the global digital economy.
With years of experience reporting on cutting-edge technologies, Faustine focuses on AI developments, industry trends, and the impact of technology on society.
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