Microfinance Banks’ Non-Financial Assets Hit Record N358.8bn; Total Assets Cross N5.2trn

Non-financial assets held by Nigeria’s microfinance banks surged to a record ₦358.787 billion in June 2025, according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest quarterly statistical bulletin.

This marks the highest level since 2018 and underscores the sector’s growing reliance on tangible and intangible assets.

The June figure represents a 0.88% month-on-month increase, rising from ₦355.650 billion in May 2025. On a year-on-year basis, non-financial assets grew by ₦131.080 billion, a sharp 57.56% jump compared to ₦227.707 billion in June 2024.

Advertisement

Monthly data shows consistent growth throughout 2025. In January, non-financial assets stood at ₦314.752 billion, up from ₦168.691 billion in January 2024. February recorded ₦317.986 billion compared to ₦181.198 billion a year earlier, while March rose to ₦320.334 billion, up from ₦197.298 billion in March 2024.

Beyond non-financial assets, the CBN bulletin revealed that the total assets of licensed microfinance banks crossed ₦5.228 trillion in May 2025, the highest level ever recorded. Between December 2024 and May 2025, total assets expanded by ₦1.267 trillion, representing a 32% growth in just five months.

Analysts say this expansion highlights the sector’s strengthening financial base, crucial for capitalisation, regulatory compliance, and recapitalisation exercises.

Advertisement

Non-financial assets include tangible holdings such as real estate, equipment, vehicles, and natural resources, as well as intangible assets like patents, goodwill, trademarks, and intellectual property.

Meanwhile, the bulletin also revealed a surge in consumer activity. Nigerians withdrew a total of ₦36.34 trillion via ATMs between January and June 2025, a staggering 197.66% increase from ₦12.21 trillion in the same period of 2024.

Transaction volumes rose to 858.80 million withdrawals, up from 496.47 million a year earlier, a 72.98% increase. The data suggests that despite new withdrawal fees introduced by the CBN, demand for cash withdrawals remained strong.