UK-Based Company Ranks UBA, First Bank as Nigeria’s Strongest Brands in 2025

• Two Nigerian banks, United Bank for Africa and First Bank Nigeria, have emerged as Nigeria’s strongest banking brands
• UBA’s new position comes after rising from the ninth position in last year’s list, displacing GTBank from the top position
• The report by Brand Finance, a London-based consultancy firm, said that the two Nigerian banks both scored AAA+ ratings

Legit.ng’s Pascal Oparada has reported on tech, energy, stocks, investment and the economy for over a decade.

United Bank for Africa (UBA) and First Bank have been listed as Nigeria’s strongest banking brands, delivering value and customer satisfaction amid economic conditions.

A new report disclosed that UBA rose from the ninth position in last year’s ranking to emerge the strongest Nigerian brand this year, with a Brand Strength Index (BSI) score of 92.4/100 and a triple A-plus rating.

UBA displaces GTBank from top position

UBA’s rise to the top in brand strength in 2025 displaces Guaranty Trust Bank, which fell to third place, with a BSI score of 89.5100.

According to the report, UBA performed strongly in all key research indices, earning a high score in brand familiarity, preference, and consideration, showing strong consumer trust and loyalty.

Brand Finance, a London-based consultancy firm, disclosed in its report that UBA scored exceptionally well on price acceptance, outperforming other banks such as South Africa’s Capitec and Equity Bank in Kenya.

BusinessDay reports that in the last 12 months, UBA has prioritised digital banking, innovation, and technology investments, which are key drivers of brand strength in Africa’s banking landscape.

First Bank maintains strong brand loyalty

First Bank of Nigeria followed UBA closely, rising from the 11th place to the second position for brand strength, notching a BSI score of 92.1/100, and a triple A-plus rating as it excels across key indices, including familiarity, reputation, consideration, and preference.

First Bank’s improvement shows its robust focus on innovation, digital transformation, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

In the report, Babatunde Odumeru, the managing director of Brand Finance, Nigeria, disclosed that Nigerian banks have continued to grow, despite inflation and currency volatility that have put many companies at risk, to maintain customer loyalty and brand strength.

UBA is now the 13th strongest bank globally

He disclosed that UBA now ranks as the 13th strongest banking brand globally among the 500, which he said shows global competitiveness and recognition of Nigeria’s banking sector. 

Per the report, Access Bank rose to the fourth position from 12th in 2024, due to improved performance across key research data.

The bank retained its most valuable brand position for the fourth year as it more than doubled its brand value to N893.3 billion.

Nigerian banks performed exceptionally, accounting for 59% of total brand value, showing robust growth and strong customer performance of the banking sector.

Other strong Nigerian brands

Other Nigerian brands in the ranking include:

• Dangote Cement
• BUA Cement
• Flour Mills Nigeria
• Hero Larger Beer
• Glo Mobile

10 banks emerge as Nigeria’s most profitable banks in 2025

Legit.ng earlier reported that about 10 Nigerian banks started 2025 on a positive note, generating about N1.83 trillion in profit after tax in the first quarter of the year.

An analysis of the banks' unaudited financials showed that Zenith Bank, Ecobank, First Bank, Access Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank, UBA, Wema Bank, Fidelity Bank, FCMB and Stanbic IBTC are the top performers during the period under review.

The report showed that the profit before tax grew by 3.5 % compared to N1.77 trillion reported in Q1 2024.

Proofreading by Kola Muhammed, copy editor at Legit.ng.

Source: Legit.ng