EXPANDING FOOTPRINT – NIGERIA’S FIRSTBANK SETS SIGHTS ON ETHIOPIA, ANGOLA, CAMEROON
Building on its long-standing presence in sub-Saharan Africa, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is gearing up for its next growth phase as financial systems across the continent open up to new opportunities.
More than a decade after an acquisition spree that boosted its footprint in sub-Saharan Africa, First Bank of Nigeria Limited is looking to expand into several other countries, including Ethiopia, Angola and Cameroon.
“There are a number of large economies with large banking pools that are of interest to us because their financial markets are opening up,” Deputy Managing Director, Ini Ebong told The Africa Report in December on the sidelines of the Africa Financial Industry Summit (AFIS).
“So, you look at countries like Ethiopia and Angola. In francophone West Africa, we want to expand our presence in places like Côte d’Ivoire and Cameroon. The market opportunity is there, and we seek to continue to exploit it,” said Ebong.
Ethiopia, Africa’s second most populous country, is poised to partially open its banking sector to foreign banks following a vote by lawmakers in December. The new banking law, passed by a majority in parliament, allows foreign banks to open subsidiaries in Ethiopia. Foreign firms will only be allowed to own 49% of shares, according to the Ethiopian news magazine Addis Standard.
Speaking during a panel session at AFIS, Ethiopia’s central bank governor Mamo Mihretu said the country had been working on the legislation that would finally open the banking sector to foreign competition over the past one year.
After the ratification of the legislation by the parliament, the largest economy in East Africa is “open for business” for any banks looking to come into the country, according to Mihretu.
Previously the executive director in charge of treasury and international banking before his appointment in June 2024, Ebong said that there are growing opportunities in markets across the continent with the expansion of financial systems similar to “what we saw in the early 2000s in some of the larger African markets”. “We believe it is an opportune time to take part in the phase of growth that we see,” said Ebong
