Access Bank, FirstBank, Zenith lead banks with largest branch networks

Despite the rapid growth of digital banking, Nigeria’s leading commercial banks continue to expand and maintain extensive physical branch networks, with Access Bank, FirstBank and Zenith Bank emerging as the institutions with the widest nationwide presence.

An analysis of the banks’ 2025 annual reports, investor presentations and publicly available branch data shows that the three lenders collectively operate more than 1,500 branches across the country, underscoring the continued relevance of physical banking alongside digital channels.

Access Bank leads the ranking with 554 branches nationwide and more than 700 across Africa. The lender also posted the strongest financial performance among the banks reviewed, with total assets rising by 24.54 per cent to N51.56 trillion in 2025, while customer deposits jumped 53.44 per cent to N34.56 trillion.

FirstBank follows closely with 550 branches in Nigeria and over 820 branches across Africa. The bank reported total assets of N27.25 trillion and customer deposits of N18.88 trillion, maintaining its position as one of the country’s most accessible financial institutions.

Zenith Bank ranks third with 406 branches nationwide and over 450 across Africa. The lender recorded total assets of N31.46 trillion and customer deposits of N24.33 trillion while continuing to expand its retail banking business alongside significant investments in digital banking infrastructure.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) occupies fourth place with 327 branches in Nigeria and more than 1,000 branches and customer touchpoints across Africa. Ecobank follows with 273 Nigerian branches, while Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) operates 240 branches nationwide.

Industry experts say the figures demonstrate that digital transformation has not diminished the importance of physical banking infrastructure.

Chief Executive Officer of CFG Advisory, Tilewa Adebajo, said physical branches remain essential in Nigeria because banking services still rely heavily on customer relationships.