The President Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dele Alabi, has urged Nigerian banks to increase lending to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), in order to generate higher returns for banks after the industry recapitalisation.

Mr Alabi, who is also the CIBN’s Chairman of Council, stated this at the 2026 Fellowship Investiture of CIBN, held in Victoria Island, Lagos, on Saturday. The theme of the event was “Bank Recapitalisation: Leveraging New Bank Capital for Nigeria’s Industrial Transformation.”

He said the success of the banking sector recapitalisation exercise, which ended on 31 March, would depend on how effectively the new capital is deployed to support productive sectors of the economy.

Mr Alabi said banks needed to look beyond large corporations and expand financing to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), which he described as critical to Nigeria’s economic growth and employment.

He said lending to MSMEs could be both secured and profitable if banks developed appropriate structures and infrastructure to manage the associated risks.

“Banks no longer have the luxury of focusing only on the top-tier sectors of the economy, on the Mobiles, on the Unilevers, on the Shells,” he said.

The CIBN boss added that the institute was planning its first MSME forum for 1 December, to advance practical solutions for improving access to finance and supporting enterprise growth.

Mr Alabi cited estimates that MSMEs account for about 46 per cent of Nigeria’s gross domestic product, constitute 96 per cent of businesses and generate 86 per cent of employment.

He also said the institute was considering the establishment of MSME hubs across states, drawing on models implemented in countries including China, India and the United Kingdom.

755 CIBN honorees

The CIBN President said the institute honoured 755 banking professionals for their contributions to the banking industry and Nigeria’s economic development.

The honourees comprised 18 honorary fellows, 460 elected fellows and 277 honorary senior members.

Among the distinguished honorary fellows honored at three events Samuel Egube, Deputy Chief of Staff, Lagos State, Folorunsho Alakija, Vice Chairman of Famfa Oil Limited, Tokunbo Talabi, Secretary to the Ogun State Government; and Olubunmi Kuku, Managing Director/Chief Executive of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria.

Mr Alabi said their achievements, leadership and dedication had helped advance the banking profession and contributed to the country’s economic growth.

He also disclosed that the institute’s banking examinations were now conducted in 13 African countries: Sierra Leone, The Gambia, Liberia, Congo, Ghana, Botswana, Cameroon, Namibia, Zambia, Rwanda, Mali, Mozambique and Kenya.

He said Sierra Leone had the highest number of chartered bankers among the 13 countries, describing the institute’s growing international reach as evidence of its expanding relevance across Africa.

Affordable long-term financing

At the event, the Governor of Lagos State, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, said the banking sector’s recapitalisation should strengthen lenders’ capacity to withstand economic pressures and finance larger transactions.

He said the real measure of success would be the extent to which the additional capital supported productive businesses, industrial expansion and economic opportunities for Nigerians.

“One of the greatest challenges facing Nigerian businesses remains access to affordable, long-term financing. We’ve been hearing this for 20, 25 years. And so we need to do something about it,” he said.

Mr Sanwo-Olu said manufacturers needed financing to acquire machinery, expand production and compete internationally, while agricultural businesses required capital to develop storage, processing and distribution capacity.

He also highlighted opportunities in infrastructure and electricity, noting that Lagos State’s electricity law could attract investment into the power sector and support manufacturing, logistics and trade.

The governor said the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund had supported more than 40,000 small businesses through grants and single-digit loans.

According to him, the initiative had also helped create between 200,000 and 250,000 jobs across the state.

Mr Sanwo-Olu urged banks, government and the private sector to move beyond increasing the availability of capital and focus on ensuring that the funds generated meaningful economic activity.

“We must move from simply having more capital available to making this capital work for our economy,” he said.

Credits’ concerns

The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG), Tayo Aduloju, also raised concerns over a one-third decline in bank credit to manufacturers since December 2024, urging lenders to channel more of their capital into productive sectors of the Nigerian economy.

Mr Aduloju said credit to manufacturers had fallen from N8.5 trillion in December 2024 to N5.6 trillion, despite the successful completion of the banking sector recapitalisation exercise.

According to the NESG chief, the increase in banks’ capital had not translated into the scale of financing needed to support industrial growth, with lending still concentrated in sectors such as oil and gas, finance and insurance.

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He said the two sectors accounted for about 46 per cent of bank credit, while manufacturing received only 8.7 per cent.

“Trade has overtaken manufacturing. So, ladies and gentlemen, we are financing import and distribution of goods more readily than their production in Nigeria,” he said.

Mr Aduloju said the cost of borrowing, liquidity constraints, lending risks and the short duration of available financing were among the major obstacles preventing businesses from accessing credit.

He noted that lending rates ranged from 19 per cent for prime borrowers to 32.6 per cent for other borrowers, while treasury bills offered returns of about 15.5 per cent without credit risk.

He also expressed concern over the growth in government borrowing, saying credit to the government increased by 63 per cent in the year to September.

“When the sovereign borrows at this pace, it’s not a competition with business. It’s no competition. Government will win,” he said.

Mr Aduloju argued that banks would need to work with government and regulators to reduce the risks associated with lending to productive sectors, particularly manufacturing, agriculture and small businesses.

He said Nigeria needed better-prepared investment projects, reliable infrastructure, clear regulatory frameworks and stronger credit guarantees to attract long-term financing.

He also urged the government to clean up the national asset register, saying the absence of properly documented and investment-ready projects was preventing financial institutions from financing some opportunities.