Bank
Sterling Bank’s inhumanity overdose: customers sit on the bare floor, begging to withdraw
Sterling Bank’s inhumanity overdose: customers sit on the bare floor, begging to withdraw
”In our meetings with the banks, we have told them to set up tents and chairs, and give people numbers.” These were the words of The Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele, who appealed to Nigerians days ago to show understanding about circulation and the accessibility of the new Naira Notes.
Emefiele had noted that he was seeing the protests and arguments surrounding the difficulty citizens were facing in accessing the new notes and therefore begged people to show understanding and be calm.
However, how else can man’s inhumanity to another be described than subjecting your fellow to untold hardship and not be concerned?
This was the case with one of the leading financial banks in Nigeria, Sterling Bank. Migrating from an identity and slogan of ‘The one-customer bank’ to ‘Your one-customer bank’, Sterling Bank has found it difficult to fulfill its mandate to its teeming customers.
An on-the-spot assessment of some of their branches mostly between Lagos and Ogun suburbs by Omonaijablog.com.ng, showed that CBN Governor’s appeal to the banks to at least show some level of respect and humanity to their respective customers is not of concern to Sterling Bank.
Omonaijablog reports that as early as 6 a.m. this morning, customers in their numbers had converged at one of the Sterling Bank’s branches close to Alagbole Road, Ojodu, with most of them sitting on bare floor!
Young, old, married, single, businessmen and women, students in their numbers sitting on the floor, some hanging beside the walls of the bank waiting for when the bank’s ATMs will be loaded and till past 9 a.m. when a reporter of Omonaijablog left the premises, there was no cash at sight.
Some who could not access the bank over the weekend were seen begging, pleading, and cursing! The scene was pathetic. Seeing people wearing sad emotions on a Monday morning isn’t a a good omen for the week. Something must be done!
Let us even ask ourselves, what would it cost the bank to hire a few dozen plastic chairs? Why would people go through such difficulties to withdraw their hard-earned money deposited in a bank legally?
How long do people need to be in the queue before the ATMs will be loaded? How many ‘rich guys’ were in the queue, yet they were the first to get the new notes?
What exactly do we refer to as customer service? And that is why notes were available at parties: birthdays, burials, etc. Being thrown about and trampled upon in ecstasy at events. Propelled by choice of wine and spirit, the rich flaunted the new currency and exposed the conspiracy with the banks.
This was the same bank whose one of the managers was arrested and paraded by CBN’s monitoring team over the week in Ado Ekiti for hoarding about #6 million new notes in the bank’s vault.
In a trending video on social media as reported by Omonaijablog.com.ng, a man who identified himself as Oluwole Owoeye, a deputy director of CBN, while monitoring the distribution of the new naira notes in the state, was seen questioning the bank officials as to why they have not uploaded the funds into their Automated Teller Machines, (ATMs), despite having six of the machines in place.
And to serve as a deterrent, the CBN director also announced a fine of N1 million for each day the fund was in the bank’s custody.
These commercial banks should know that the situation in Nigeria now is terrible and is eating deep into the downtrodden masses.
So, their efforts at sabotaging the whole process should be jointly condemned by all well-meaning Nigerians. Or how best can you describe a bank manager who hoards and sell the new Naira Notes to the highest bidder?
This is definitely different from how to lead a nation to prosperity. People are passing through pains!
GTCO Plc Releases 2025 Full Year Audited Result
…Declares Another Record Dividend of ₦12.76k; Re-affirming Unrivalled Capacity to Creating Value
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or the “Group”) has released its Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2025, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE).
The Group reported profit before tax of ₦1.23trillion underpinned by strong growth in core earnings, with interest income and fee income increasing y-o-y by 23.2% and 25.9%, respectively. The performance reaffirms its capacity to generate sustainable earnings and builds on the momentum from 2024, when GTCO delivered a record profit of ₦1.27trillion, driven in part by ₦517.5billion in fair value gains, which did not recur in 2025.
The Group’s 2025 profit after tax came in at ₦865.75billion against ₦1.02trillion recorded in 2024. The profit after tax reflects the impact of recent fiscal policy adjustments to the taxation of investment securities, notably withholding tax on short-term instruments. However, when normalised for this effect, underlying earnings remain robust, driven by growth in core operating income.
The Group continues to maintain a well-structured, healthy, and diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates a Banking franchise, as well as across its Payments, Pension and Funds Management business verticals. Total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at ₦17.8trillion and ₦3.4trillion, respectively. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 43.8%, likewise asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.4% and 5.0% at Bank and Group level in FY-2025 (Bank, 3.5%, and Group, 5.2% in December 2024). Cost of Risk (COR) also improved to 2.2% from 4.9% in December 2024. In specific terms, the Group’s loan book (net) grew by 12.4% from ₦2.79trillion as of December 2024 to ₦3.13trillion in December 2025. Similarly, deposit liabilities grew by 23.8% from ₦10.40trillion to ₦12.87trillion during the same period.
Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Our 2025 result underscores the resilience and depth of our earnings capacity. Following a record 2024, which included significant fair value gains, our focus has been on strengthening the sustainability of our earnings by driving growth across our core banking and ecosystem businesses. The strength of our underlying earnings, despite a stronger Naira and tighter regulatory parameters, reflects the quality of our franchise and the discipline with which we execute our strategy. Importantly, this strong core earnings performance underpins our capacity to sustain and grow shareholder returns. Our record dividend payout this year is not only a reflection of our current profitability but also of our confidence in the Group’s long-term earnings potential. Looking ahead, we remain focused on scaling our ecosystem, driving innovation across our financial services platform, and delivering consistent, high-quality earnings that support superior value creation for our shareholders.”
Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services Industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Post-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 28.3%, Post-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 5.3%, Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 43.8% and Cost to Income Ratio of 27.9%.
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, the Group provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. GTCO Plc is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets
ZENITH BANK OPENS MANCHESTER BRANCH TO SUPPORT CROSS-BORDER TRADE AND INVESTMENT
Zenith Bank Plc has announced the opening of a new branch in Manchester, United Kingdom, marking another significant milestone in the bank’s international growth and its commitment to strengthening financial connections between Africa and global markets.
The official opening ceremony, scheduled to hold on Tuesday, March 17, 2026, is expected to attract government officials from Nigeria and the United Kingdom, regulators, investors, customers, and business leaders from both countries, underscoring the growing economic ties and investment opportunities between the two markets.
The new Manchester branch will complement Zenith Bank’s existing operations in the United Kingdom and serve as a strategic hub for supporting businesses engaged in international trade and investment. Through the branch, the bank will provide corporate banking, trade finance, treasury and related financial services to clients operating across the United Kingdom, Europe and Africa.Speaking ahead of the launch, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, said: “The opening of our Manchester branch represents another important step in Zenith Bank’s growth as a leading African financial institution connecting businesses and markets across continents. Manchester is one of the United Kingdom’s most dynamic commercial centres, and our presence here will further strengthen financial connections between businesses in the UK and opportunities across Africa’s rapidly expanding markets.
”Founded in 1990 by its Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, Zenith Bank has grown into one of Africa’s most respected banking institutions, boasting a robust capital base and a remarkable history of year-on-year profitability. Built on a strong foundation of people, technology and service, the Bank has consistently delivered innovative financial solutions while maintaining a disciplined approach to growth and risk management. The impressive performance of the Bank has consistently earned it excellent ratings, recognition and endorsement from local and international agencies and institutions.Headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, Zenith Bank operates over 500 branches and business offices across the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). The Bank currently operates subsidiaries in several African countries including Ghana, Sierra Leone, Gambia, and Cote d’Ivoire, while maintaining a presence in major international financial centres including the United Kingdom, France, UAE and China.
In recent years, Zenith Bank has continued to expand its international network as part of its strategy to support global trade and investment flows involving Africa.Manchester, widely regarded as one of the United Kingdom’s most vibrant economic centres, hosts a diverse base of businesses across sectors such as manufacturing, engineering, logistics, technology and consumer goods. The city’s strong commercial ecosystem and international outlook align closely with Zenith Bank’s expertise in corporate banking, structured finance and trade finance.The Manchester branch will work closely with the Bank’s London operations and its broader international network to support clients seeking to expand across markets and unlock new opportunities in both the United Kingdom and Africa.
With the opening of the Manchester branch, Zenith Bank continues to advance its vision of building a truly global African banking institution that connects businesses, facilitates trade and investment, and creates stronger economic bridges between Africa and the world.
Alpha Morgan Bank Deepens Presence in Abuja with New Branch in Utako
Marking another milestone in its expansion drive, Alpha Morgan Bank has opened a new branch in Utako, Abuja, reinforcing its strategy of building closer institutional ties within key business communities and bringing its financial expertise closer to individuals, and enterprises driving the city’s growth.
The new branch, located at Plot 1121 Obafemi Awolowo Way, Utako, Abuja is strategically positioned to serve individuals, entrepreneurs, and corporate clients within Utako and surrounding districts.
The expansion follows the Bank’s recently concluded Economic Review Webinar held in February 2026, as the bank continues to position as a thought-leader in the financial services industry.
Speaking on the opening, Ade Buraimo, Managing Director of Alpha Morgan Bank, said the move underscores the Bank’s commitment to accessibility and service excellence.
“Proximity matters in banking. As communities grow and commercial activity expands, financial institutions also evolve to meet customers where they are. The Utako Branch allows us to deliver our services to people in that community efficiently while maintaining the high standards our customers expect,”
The Utako location will provide a full suite of retail and corporate banking services, including account opening, deposits, transfers, business banking solutions, and financial advisory support.
Customers and members of the public are invited to visit the new Utako Branch to experience the Bank’s approach to satisfying banking.
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