By Ayomide Otitoju
Fidelity Bank Nigeria has been named the fastest-growing Nigerian brand, with its brand value more than tripling in the past year to displace Stanbic IBTC, according to the 2025 ranking by Brand Finance, a London-based brand valuation consultancy.
The latest report highlights Fidelity Bank’s rising market influence and increasing investor confidence, underpinned by the bank’s strong financial performance despite challenging economic conditions.
“Fidelity Bank’s brand value growth is underpinned by strong financial performance in 2024, during which the bank reported a 210 percent increase in Profit Before Tax (PBT), soaring to N385.2 billion,” Brand Finance stated in its annual valuation report. The report further noted a significant rise in gross earnings, attributed to both higher interest income and a rapidly expanding customer base.
In a demonstration of market confidence, Fidelity Bank’s public offer, launched in February 2025, was oversubscribed by 237.9 percent, while its rights issue drew a 137.7 percent oversubscription.
Brand Finance also pointed to the bank’s operational excellence and strategic positioning, citing Fidelity Bank’s recognition as “Nigeria’s Best Private Bank” at the 2025 Euromoney Awards. The accolade reflects its reputation for delivering bespoke wealth management services and high-quality client experiences both locally and internationally.
The bank’s impressive performance has propelled it back into the exclusive group of Nigerian companies with a market capitalisation exceeding N1 trillion. Its share price rose by 5.3 percent from N19.95 to N21.00 at the close of trading on May 13, 2025, on the Nigerian Exchange Limited.
In 2024, Fidelity Bank’s stock surged by 141 percent, climbing from N8.70 in May of that year. The rally was supported by a 189 percent increase in profit after tax — the highest among Nigeria’s top 10 banks. The momentum has carried into 2025, with the bank reporting a 190 percent rise in after-tax profit to N91 billion in the first quarter, driven by stronger interest income, foreign exchange gains, and enhanced cost efficiency.
Fidelity Bank is also making strides to meet the Central Bank of Nigeria’s N500 billion minimum capital requirement, primarily through equity financing.
Elsewhere in the Brand Finance report, United Bank for Africa (UBA) and First Bank of Nigeria were named the strongest brands in the country, praised for maintaining customer loyalty and delivering value amid economic volatility.
Access Bank retained its title as Nigeria’s most valuable brand for the fourth consecutive year. The country’s largest lender by assets saw its brand value more than double to N893.3 billion.
Banks dominated the 2025 ranking, accounting for 59 percent of total brand value — a reflection of the sector’s resilience and strong performance in a tough macroeconomic environment.
Brand Finance determines brand value using the “royalty relief” methodology, which combines market and income-based valuation techniques. Brand value represents the net economic benefit a company would gain from licensing its brand, while brand strength measures the effectiveness of a brand’s intangible performance relative to competitors.
