FINANCIAL SECTOR GROWTH IN NIGERIA

The growth of the Nigerian financial sector especially on the part of commercial
banks, have over time being of a dramatic increase. Prior to the countrys
independence in 1960, banking activities were very skeletal and there were few
portfolio opportunities. Thus, the Nigerian financial system was very much
undeveloped. The growth of commercial banking firms as well as other money and
capital market institutions was remarkably evident even in recent years when their
activities became increasingly sophisticated, responding to opportunities in the field
of intermediation in a particularly innovative way. Though over time it may have
lagged behind other fast growing countries, its extent of asset size and coverage
was greatly boosted by the astronomical growth in the number of industry players
during the Structural Adjustment era. For instance, the number of commercial banks
grew from 29 at the commencement of the Structural Adjustment Programme in
1986 and rose to 66 in 1993 before the SAP was terminated by the wind of political
change which took place in the country that same year. This is growth of about 128
percent over a period of eight years. Correspondingly, the number of branches over
the same period rose from 1367 to 2275 or by 66.4 percent (see table 1).

Table 1: Number of Commercial Bank Branches in Nigeria and Abroad 1970 2015
Year

No of
Bank
s

Urban
Branc
h

Rural
Branc
h

Branch
es
Abroad

197
0
197
1
197
2
197
3
197
4
197
5
197
6
197
7

14

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

Total
Number
of
Branches
n.a.

16

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

16

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

16

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

17

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

17

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

18

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

19

474

13

492

197
8
197
9
198
0
198
1
198
2
198
3
198
4
198
5
198
6
198
7
198
8
198
9
199
0
199
1
199
2
199
3
199
4
199
5
199
6
199
7
199
8
199
9
200
0

19

511

98

614

20

533

133

672

20

565

168

740

20

622

240

869

22

676

308

991

25

694

407

1408

27

810

432

1249

28

839

451

1297

29

879

481

1367

34

947

529

1483

42

1057

602

1665

47

1093

756

1855

58

1169

765

1939

65

1253

765

2023

65

1495

774

2275

66

1577

775

2253

65

1634

763

2403

64

1661

701

2368

64

1661

701

2308

64

1727

645

2407

54

1466

714

2185

54

1466

714

2185

54

1466

722

2139

200 90
1
200 90
2
200 90
3
200 89
4
200 25
5
200 24
8
200 24
9
201 21
5
Source: Fakiyesi, 1999

1466

722

2139

2283

722

3010

2520

722

3247

2765

722

3492

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

5134

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

5565

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

n.a.

; Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, various

issues
Central Bank of Nigeria 2009 Annual Reports and Statement of Account
Central Bank of Nigeria (2015) List of Financial Institutions: Commercial
Banks
NB: Classification of Branches into Urban and Rural started in July 1977
Commercial banking started early in Nigeria, but the first set of banks were mainly
expatriates while the establishment of banks by domestic enterprise came later.
Several conflicting explanations for the growth of indigenous Nigerian banks are
opined to be available (see Rowan, 1953; Nwankwo, 1980), but whichever view one
subscribe to its opined also that its evident that the expatriate banks increased
steadily over the years both in terms of size and number while in contrast the
indigenous banks had a growth that was rather spasmodic and failure among them
was frequent. For instance, 185 banks were registered in Nigeria between 1947 and
1952 but by 1960 there were only six survivors. The number of operating banks
started to grow as did offices and branches. The number of banks operating in
Nigeria was transformed from 12 in December 1960 with total branch offices of 160
to 20 in 1980 with total branch offices of 740. By 1982, there were 22 banks with
991 branch offices. The prudential reforms lasting till the late 90s though reduced
the number of industry players to 54, but the introduction of the Universal Banking
model fostered the growth to 90 banks. The compulsory recapitalization mandate
issued by the apex bank as well as other reforms with effect from 2005 and evident
even as at 2009 however had contracted the number of commercial banks in the
system to 24 banks. As at 2015, the number of banks as well had further reduced to
21 commercial banks.
The implementation of the indigenization decree from 1973 onward and the
government participation in the so-called foreign banks was another wind of change

that increased the indigenization of the ownership structure of these expatriate

banks that have dominated the Nigerian banking system for a long time. Though
establishing a Central Bank and having a greater need for finance by the early
1960s, in 1973 the Federal Government acquired 40 percent equity participation in
each of the three biggest expatriate banks and by 1976 participation was raised to
60 percent. However, by 1980, equity participation in the Nigerian banking industry
average 66 percent government, 16.58 percent private and 17.42 percent foreign.
The end of the civil war (January 1970) and the purposeful implementation of the
1970/74 and 1975/80 plans by the government led to the emergence of several
development financing institutions both at the regional and federal level.
Though its contribution to national product may still be very low for instance 1.29
percent by 1973, rising to 2.49 percent by 1980 and with an average growth of
about 7.62 per annum for the period, its total asset and liability holdings however
became more than tripled, with being N1152.0 million in 1970 and N 4308.0 million
in 1975 while at the same time period total shareholders funds increased from
N202.5 million in 1970 to N811.1 million in 1975 (see table 2). The banks however
themselves grew again in terms of assets and liabilities (see tables3a, 3b, 5a, 5b
and 5c). The total assets of the banking system were N232 million in 1960 but by
June 1980 they had risen to N12, 709 million, an increase of almost 55 times in
twenty years (see table 2).Although prior to the implementation of the Structural
Adjustment programme in 1986 total assets stood at N31997million, but in 1995 few years after the end period in 1993 -total assets in the banking sector had
increased over 12 times amounting to N385141.8million (see table 2).After the
prudential regulations until the late 1990s, the adoption of the Universal Banking
practice as well as the recapitalization stance from 2004 and other reforms lasting
till 2012, records show that total assets had increased tremendously to
N21288144.4million (see table 2).

Table 2: Assets and Liabilities Growth of the Nigerian Financial System

(NMillion)
Year
1960
1970
1975
1980
1985
1990
1995
2000
2005
2010
2012

Assets
232
202.5
811.1
12709
31997.9
82957.8
385141.8
1568838.7
4515117.6
17331559.0
21288144.4

Liabilities
238.5
1152.0
4308.0
16,340
21297.0
51790.8
245489.4
904801.5
2626587.8
12880009.4
17876920.7

2013
24301200.0
13767400.0
2014
27481500.0
21614300.0
Source: Fakiyesi, 1999 ; Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin,
various issues

The major issue of the Nigerian banking sector growth at different stages have
centered on the banks asset and liabilities portfolio. The greater capitalization of
these banks over the years also had been duly emphasized, since the failure of
many banks in Nigeria in the early fifties. Thus, prudential regulation concerned
mainly with banks capital adequacy and reserves. In 1952 for instance, foreign
owned banks were required to have a paid-up capital of N400, 000 whereas
Nigerian owned banks were required to have a paid-up capital of N25, 000. The
level of equity capital varies among the banks. In 1974 for instance, one bank, the
Union Bank had an equity capital of N12milliion while there were two banks with
just N1.5million (see table 3a).Over the years however, the minimum paid-up
capital had been expanded onwardly (see table 3b).

Table 3a: Equity Capital of Selected Commercial Banks (NMillion) from 1970 - 1996
Years
Banks
Union
Bank
Nigeria
First Bank

1971

1974

1978

1980

1985

1989

1996

7.75

12.0
0
9.70

United Bank
Africa
Afri Bank

for 4.50

6.00

1.50

2.10

National Bank

6.49

6.49

63.50
4
105.6
99
75.00
0
100.0
00
n.a.

397.
06
336.
20
300.
00
552.
00
n.a.

3.00

6.99

Savannah Bank

1.50

Mercantile Bank

1.10

36.2
9
70.0
0
30.0
0
20.0
0
10.0
0
14.7
0
18.0
0
6.10

54.5
33
86.1
36
75.0
00
70.0
00
n.a.

Bank of the North

30.2
4
61.1
4
20.0
0
10.0
0
10.0
0
14.7
0
6.00

of 12.00

New Nigeria Bank 1.41

Ltd
Source: Fakiyesi, 1999 ; Central
Accounts, various issues

22.3
22.35 300.
50
0
00
1.50
27.9
34.92 52.4
37
1
1.10 4.50
13.4
13.46 n.a.
66
6
1.41 10.0 10.0 11.7
21.13 n.a.
0
0
45
4
Bank of Nigeria Annual Reports and Statements of

Table 3b: Required Minimum Paid-Up Capital forCommercial Banks (NMillion)from

1958 - 2004
Years

1958 1999 2004 2004***

*
**
Required Minimum Paid-Up
25,00 500
2000 2500
Capital
0
Source: Osamor, Akinlabi and Osamor (2013)
* In Thousand
** As at January 2004
*** As at July 2004

The size of a banks capital varies usually according to its age and its size of
operations. Thus, capital adequacy ratio was duly envisaged by regulation due to
bank lending and the possibility of non-performing credits. With the introduction of
new prudential rules by 1990, the minimum paid-up capital of commercial banks
increased to N20million. Overall, just as there has been significant increase in the
total assets of commercial banks since independence, the proportion of loans and
advances to total assets had vary between 30 percent and 65percentwhile
investment securities (treasury bills and treasury certificates short term money
market instruments) had also increased over the years (see tables 4a to 4f).
Table 4a: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 1960 - 1969
Years
1960 1961
Loans and
47.8
40.7
Advances (% of
Total Assets)
Investment
1.5
2.0
Securities (% of
Total Assets)
Source: Fakiyesi (1999)

1962
54.0

1963
55.0

1964
61.8

1965
62.2

1966
60.5

1967
61.2

1968
40.3

1969
31.8

2.3

0.7

2.7

3.0

4.6

6.3

36.0

44.0

Table 4b: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 1970 - 1979
Years
1970 1971
Loans and
30.5
39.3
Advances (% of
4
Total Assets)
Investment
43.4
22.8
Securities (% of
Total Assets)
Source: Fakiyesi (1999)

1972
43.0
7

1973
42.5
8

1974
33.3
7

1975
35.6
9

1976
33.3
2

1977
36.04

1978
45.13

1979
41.10

26.2

21.5

26.9

18.4

16.5

13.5

10.5

19.1

Table 4c: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 1980 - 1989

Years
1980 1981
Loans and
39.0
44.1
Advances (% of
4
8
Total Assets)
Investment
14.9
9.10
Securities (% of
0
Total Assets)
Source: Fakiyesi (1999)

1982
45.3
5

1983
41.5
7

1984
38.2
6

1985
38.0
3

1986
39.5
7

1987
35.19

1988
34.54

1989
34.25

13.3
3

19.4
8

29.2
5

32.1
2

11.3
2

15.46

12.59

5.28

Table 4d: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 1990 - 1999
Years
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998
Loans and
31.4
27.0
22.8
19.6
27.8
37.5
38.1
41.20 39.27
Advances (% of
4
2
7
5
4
4
9
Total Assets)
Investment
10.4
6.80
3.03
11.7
12.3
4.67
10.2
6.48
6.80
Securities (% of
9
8
3
0
Total Assets)
Source: Fakiyesi , 1999 ; Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, various issues

1999
33.00

17.43

Table 4e: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 2000 - 2009
Years
2000 2001 2002 2003
Loans and
31.1
37.8
34.5
39.7
Advances (% of
3
2
0
0
Total Assets)
Investment
17.5
8.87
16.6
11.0
Securities (% of
8
3
9
Total Assets)
Source: Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical

2004
40.5
8

2005
44.4
9

2006
36.6
7

2007
43.92

2008
49.08

2009
55.24

15.2
5

11.3
4

9.11

11.51

4.96

3.34

Bulletin, various issues

Table 4f: Commercial Banks Selected Portfolio Ratios from 2010 - 2012
Years
2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Loans and
53.1
49.6
49.0
47.5
47.98
Advances (% of
0
0
5
1
Total Assets)
Investment
5.34
7.52
3.01
9.85
9.03
Securities (% of
Total Assets)
Source: Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, various issues
On the other hand, the liabilities of the banking system have also increased
tremendously. Between 1960 and 1970, total liabilities increased from N238.5million

to N1, 152million while in 1980 it increased to N16, 340million. Deposits which

remain the most important component of bank liabilities have also grown
dramatically, just as the ratio of loans and advances to deposits has been on the
increase though fell slightly during the later years of SAP (see tables 5a to 5c).
Table 5a: Ratio of Loans and Advances to Deposits in Selected Commercial
Banks from 1971 - 1980
Years

197 197
1
2

Banks
Union
Bank
Nigeria
First Bank

of

0.4
1
0.3
5
United Bank for 0.6
Africa
1
National Bank
0.8
7
Bank of the North
0.6
7
Nigerian Arab Bank 0.4
5
Savannah Bank
0.6
8
Mercantile Bank
n.a
.
IBWA
0.8
0
African Continental n.a
Bank
Allied Bank
n.a

0.4
5
0.4
8
0.3
8
0.8
7
0.6
8
0.5
9
0.7
1
n.a.

197 197 197 197 197 198

3
4
6
7
8
0

0.7
0
n.a

0.38 0.3
6
0.4 0.5
3
3
0.3 0.5
6
1
0.9 0.6
0
9
0.7 0.4
4
6
0.4 0.4
9
4
6.0 n.a
0
.
n.a n.a
.
.
0.7 0.6
9
0
n.a n.a

n.a

n.a

n.a

0.4
2
n.a
.
n.a
.
n.a
.
n.a
.
n.a
.
0.4
7
0.2
7
n.a
.
0.2
6
0.6
1

0.5
2
0.3
5
0.4
8
0.2
9
0.2
8
0.4
7
n.
a.
0.5
1
0.5
8
0.6
5
0.3
7

0.8
0
0.4
5
0.5
7
0.3
5
0.4
1
0.4
0
1.0
6
0.6
0
n.a.

0.5
7
0.5
2
0.5
5
n.a
.
0.5
2
0.3
1
n.a
.
0.7
3
0.5
9
0.7 0.6
3
7
0.4 n.a
4
.

Source: Fakiyesi, 1999

Table5b: Ratio of Loans and Advances to Deposits in Selected Commercial Banks
from 1985 - 1993
Years
Banks
Union
Bank
Nigeria
First Bank
United
Africa

Bank

of

for

198 198
5
6

198 198 198 199 199 199 199

7
8
9
0
1
2
3

0.4
4
0.3
6
0.3
3

0.46 0.4
6
0.4 0.4
1
0
0.3 0.3
8
4

0.4
6
0.4
2
0.3
7

0.4 0.4 0.4

1
2
2
0.30 0.4 0.2
0
0
0.3 0.3 0.3
7
5
7

0.2
4
0.2
0
0.2
1

0.2
1
0.1
8
0.2
9

Afri Bank

0.4 0.7
6
0
Nigerian Arab Bank 0.4 0.5
6
7
Savannah Bank
0.5 0.6
8
4
Mercantile Bank
0.7 0.7
5
1
African Continental 0.7 0.7
Bank
0
3
Allied Bank
0.4 0.7
9
5
Source: Fakiyesi, 1999

0.5
8
0.4
5
0.5
0
0.6
2
0.7
4
0.5
6

0.6
1
0.4
7
0.4
9
0.5
4
0.7
1
0.4
4

0.67 0.4 0.4 0.4

4
4
1
0.53 n.a. n.a. n.a
.
0.4 0.5 0.2 0.2
2
1
4
5
0.6 n.a. n.a. n.a
6
.
0.6 n.a n.a. n.a
3
.
.
0.5 0.1 0.0 0.3
4
2
2
3

0.2
6
n.a
.
0.2
6
n.a
.
n.a
.
0.2
6

Table 5c: Ratio of Loans and Advances to Deposits in Commercial Banks

from 1995 - 2014
Years
1995 2000 2005 2010 2012 2013 2014
Loans and
0.59
0.56
0.75
0.60
0.46
0.73
0.60
Advances (% of
Deposits)
Source: Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, various issues
Time and Savings deposits grew more than demand deposits. In 1960, Demand
deposits accounted for 60 percent of total deposits compared to Time and Savings
deposits with 17.9 and 26.9 respectively. But much later by second quarter of 1980
i.e June 1980, the proportion of Demand deposits declined to 43.9 percent while
Time and Savings deposits amounted to 38.2 and 17.9 percent of total deposits
respectively. The fall in relative proportion would be inferred for a number of
possible reasons. One would be the restrictive condition in opening current
accounts. Another would be the inefficient communication system. The extensive
opening of rural banks notably fostered the increase in Savings deposits collection.
Also, the banking boom period (1986 1993) witnessed domination of Time
deposits as such was an attractive source of investment for savers (Fakiyesi, 1999).

References
Fakiyesi, T. (1999) Money, Finance and Portfolio Behaviour of Commercial Banks:
Analysis of Nigerias Experience, Panaf Publishing Inc., Lagos, Nigeria, November
1999
Central Bank of Nigeria 2009 Annual Reports and Statement of Account

Central Bank of Nigeria Statistical Bulletin, various issues

Central Bank of Nigeria (2015) List of Financial Institutions: Commercial Banks,
www.cenbank.org