The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has confirmed that 14 banks have successfully met its newly revised recapitalisation requirements, putting them in the clear ahead of the March 31, 2026 deadline.
According to the reports, the 14 banks that have met the recapitalisation requirement are: 1. Access Holdings , 2. Zenith Bank , 3. GTBank (GTCO) , 4. Ecobank , 5. Stanbic IBTC , 6. Wema Bank , 7. Providus Bank , 8. Globus Bank , 9. Premium Trust Bank , 10. Greenwich Merchant Bank , 11. Jaiz Bank , 12. Lotus Bank
That accounts for 12 names commonly cited in media; some sources say 14 in total, indicating there may be additional banks whose compliance is either newly confirmed or pending public disclosure.
The benefits of the recapitulation including increase safety and confidence: Banks that meet strong capital thresholds are generally better able to absorb shocks, reducing the likelihood of distress or failure;
Better access to credit–Compliant banks may have more headroom to lend, particularly to large-scale projects, which could filter down to more robust credit availability in the economy;
Potential for improved services–With this, more solid capital bases, these banks might invest more in technology, branch expansions, product innovation, and risk management.
Stronger depositor protection — Well-capitalised banks are less likely to resort to sudden freezes, rollbacks, or restructuring measures that adversely affect depositors.
Again, the benefits to the smaller banks or those lagging behind–The pressure to raise capital /Non-compliant will need to seek fresh injections via rights issues, private equity, strategic investors, debt conversions, or mergers.
Risk of consolidation or exit–Some may have to merge with stronger banks or even exit the market if they cannot raise sufficient capital.
Regulatory scrutiny and conditional measures–The CBN may impose restrictions (on expansion, dividend payments, etc.) on banks that lag behind.
Cost of capital may rise–In a competitive capital-raising environment, these banks may have to offer attractive terms to investors, which could compress margins.
Customer migration–Risk‐averse depositors may shift funds to stronger banks, worsening liquidity for weaker ones.
In sum, while the 14 compliant banks gain a competitive and reputational boost, the rest face a narrowing path, with severe implications if they fail to catch up.