Nigerian Banks Declare N1.99 Trillion Loan Impairment Charges Amid Economic Challenges

Nigerian banks, including Guaranty Trust Holding Plc, Zenith Bank Plc (NGX: ZENITHBANK), Access Bank Plc (NGX: ACCESSCORP), and Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (NGX: ETI), declared N1.99 trillion in loan impairment charges for the first nine months of 2025, a 44.5% increase from the same period in 2024. This surge in provisioning is attributed to the challenging macroeconomic conditions, such as inflationary pressures, naira depreciation, and business liquidity constraints.

Despite this, the banks collectively reported N5.5 trillion in profits before tax, indicating resilience amid the volatile economic landscape.