Always Visit www.NaijaCover.Com

Posted By Udokabestluv On March 15th, 2026

In less than 21 days to the deadline of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalisation programme, no fewer than 31 banks have met the new capital rule, leaving out two that are reportedly awaiting verification, according to findings by BusinessDay.

The new capital requirements mandated by the central bank are expected to strengthen the lenders’ resilience against shocks and enable them to make meaningful contributions to the country’s growth agenda.

The recapitalisation exercise, which began in 2024, sets N500 billion for commercial banks with international authorisation, N200 billion for national banks, and N50 billion for regional banks. For non-interest banks, the thresholds are N20 billion (national) and N10 billion (regional).

The 24‑month compliance window ends on March 31, 2026, a regulation that’s triggering a wave of equity issuances, merger talks, and balance sheet restructuring across the sector.

The recapitalisation echoes a 2004 exercise under then-CBN governor Charles Soludo, which forced banks to raise capital to N25 billion from N2 billion. That consolidation cut the number of lenders from 89 to 25 and paved the way for stronger players to emerge.

As of March 11, 31 lenders have completed the new capital raise with Access Bank, the country’s largest lender by assets, emerging as the first to scale through the hurdle.

Access Bank

Access Bank raised a total of N351 billion through a rights issue, making the Lagos-headquartered lender the first Nigerian bank to meet the new capital base of N500 billion. The rights issue involved 17.77 billion ordinary shares at N19.75 each. With a combined share premium and paid-up capital of N602.8 billion, the bank has exceeded the CBN requirement by N102.8 billion.

Zenith Bank

Zenith Bank has also concluded its recapitalisation exercise, raising over N350 billion through a combination of rights issues and public offers. The bank’s share capital now stands at N614 billion, surpassing the minimum capital requirement for international banks.

First HoldCo (First Bank)

First HoldCo Plc has also met the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) minimum capital requirement of N500 billion. The milestone, according to the lender, was achieved following the completion of a series of strategic capital initiatives, including a rights issue, a private placement, and the injection of proceeds from the divestment of the group’s merchant banking subsidiary.

GTCO

Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) stands among lenders that have completed their capital requirements. Nigeria’s most valuable lender raised its capital through a multi-tranche equity program, raising over N209 billion in its first phase (late 2024/early 2025), with plans for further fundraising, including a recent private placement for N10 billion, to strengthen its banking subsidiary (GTBank) and fund group expansion. The capital injection boosts GTBank’s paid-up capital to over N504 billion, fulfilling new regulatory mandates.

UBA

United Bank for Africa raised N178.3 billion through a rights issue, pushing its capital base above the N500 billion minimum set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) for lenders with an international license.

The capital raise, which closed in September 2025, follows a N239 billion injection completed in November 2024 that had lifted the bank’s capital to N355.2 billion. Combined, the transactions position UBA above the CBN’s recapitalisation threshold ahead of the March 2026 deadline, pending formal regulatory confirmation.

Fidelity Bank

Fidelity Bank has equally joined the league of lenders that have scaled through the new capital requirements ahead of the deadline. The bank’s eligible capital now stands at N564.5 billion from N305.5 billion – a rise that’s done through a private placement carried out under a mandate granted by shareholders at an extraordinary general meeting on February 6, 2025, authorising the bank to issue up to 20 billion ordinary shares.

The fundraising caps an aggressive capital-raising drive by Fidelity over the past two years. In 2024, the lender raised N175.85 billion through a public offer and rights issue, which brought its eligible capital to N305.5 billion. That left a shortfall of about N194.5 billion relative to the new minimum capital threshold.

National Banks:

Wema Bank

Wema Bank also announced the completion of its recapitalisation by raising N150 billion through a rights issue of 14.29 billion shares at N10.45 per share, concluded on May 21, 2025. The bank is awaiting final verification from the CBN, with a N50 billion portion of the offer currently under review by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), according to posts on social media.

Citibank Nigeria

Citibank Nigeria Limited (Citi) has also announced that it had successfully met the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) new minimum capital requirement of N200 billion for national commercial banks. The lender did not disclose how the capital was raised.

Standard Chartered Bank

Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria also said in November last year that it had met the N200 billion capital threshold through support from its UK-based parent.

Ecobank Nigeria

Ecobank is also among the lenders that have crossed the recapitalisation hurdle, raising the minimum paid-up capital for a national bank.

Alpha Morgan Bank

Alpha Morgan Bank has met its capital regulatory requirement, according to a statement it issued recently. The lender, however, didn’t specify how the capital was raised, but said the recapitalisation has been confirmed by the CBN.

Globus Bank

Globus Bank completed its capital requirement by raising N52.9 billion in 2024 to lift its capital to N98.6 billion and followed in 2025 with a further N102 billion through rights issues and private placements. The raise, subscribed entirely by existing shareholders, took its capital above N200 billion.

Sterling Bank

Sterling Financial Holdings Company Plc, the parent company of Sterling Bank and The Alternative Bank (AltBank), confirmed that its subsidiaries have rounded off its capital regulatory requirement through the combination of a private placement and rights issue, which injected N153 billion into the banks, enabling it to meet the capital threshold.

First City Monument Bank (FCMB)

FCMB Group Plc said it has completed the banking recapitalisation exercise, having raised the required capital for an international bank, ahead of the March 2026 deadline.

The lender was able to meet the regulatory threshold through a public offer, which raised approximately N231.8 billion in gross proceeds, and the minority divestment of approximately 10 percent of the issued share capital of FCMB Pensions Limited, which raised an additional N11.0 billion.

SunTrust Bank Nigeria

SunTrust Bank Nigeria Limited said it has exceeded the N50 billion minimum capital requirement, following the completion of its private placement exercise. The move has pushed the bank’s total paid-up capital to about N51.1 billion, surpassing the regulatory benchmark.

Tatum Bank

Tatum Bank confirmed that it met the CBN’s recapitalisation milestone in line with the regulatory requirements for financial institutions in Nigeria.

Optimus Bank

Optimus Bank has reportedly scaled the recapitalisation hurdle by pushing its paid-up capital to N200 billion, effectively meeting the threshold for a national bank.

Stanbic IBTC

Stanbic IBTC has equally scaled through the capital threshold set for national banks, as the lender raised N200 billion through a rights issue and a direct capital injection by its parent company.

PremiumTrust Bank

PremiumTrust Bank has met the N200 billion minimum capital requirement for National Commercial Banks ahead of the March 2026 deadline set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), becoming only the third national bank to do so.

The upstart lender, just three years old, exceeded the new capital requirement after wrapping up a rights issue and private placement with CBN sign-off in August, placing the bank among the early complaints to the new rule.

Providus Bank

Providus Bank also completed its recapitalisation, an exercise done through a sealed strategic merger with Unity Bank. This makes Providus–Unity the first approved merger under the CBN’s recapitalisation programme announced earlier in 2024.

Other banks that have met the new capital requirement include merchant banks such as FSDH Merchant Bank, Greenwich Merchant Bank, Nova Bank, Quest Merchant Bank, and Rand Merchant Bank. Other licensed banks, including Parallex Bank and Signature Bank, have equally met the capital rules.

Non-interest banks are not left behind, as Jaiz Bank, Lotus Bank, and TAJBank have beefed up their capital ahead of the CBN deadline.

Source: https://businessday.ng/news/article/updated-here-are-31-banks-that-have-met-cbns-capital-rules/