26/03/2026
Nigerian banks have raised a total of ₦4.61 trillion in new capital as of March 2026 to meet the revised requirements set by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
Recapitalisation Progress
Total Capital Raised: ₦4.61 trillion has been mobilised globally by 33 banks.
Domestic Investment: ₦2.90 trillion (approximately 71.6% of the verified funds).
Foreign Investment: $706.84 million (roughly ₦1.15 trillion or 28.3% of the total).
Compliance Status: As of early March 2026, 30 banks have successfully met the new thresholds, with others in the final stages of regulatory verification before the March 31 deadline.
Bank Capitalisation Before the 2024 Directive
Before the 2024 recapitalisation exercise, the minimum capital requirements were significantly lower, based on the previous major reform in 2004:
International Banks: Minimum of ₦50 billion (now raised to ₦500 billion).
National Banks: Minimum of ₦25 billion (now raised to ₦200 billion).
Regional Banks: Minimum of ₦10 billion (now raised to ₦50 billion).
Prior to this new round of funding, many top-tier banks held capital bases ranging from ₦100 billion to ₦270 billion in 2023, leaving a collective shortfall estimated at roughly ₦2.6 trillion for the eight largest banks alone at the start of the exercise.
Source: AI Generated