The Asian Banker Tuesday, 15 October 2024

The Strongest Banks Rankings

2021
2020 2019 2018

Strongest banks in Africa in 2021

In this year’s The Asian Banker Strongest Banks By Balance Sheet evaluation, National Bank of Egypt has emerged as the strongest bank in Africa. This is based on a detailed and transparent scorecard that ranks banks on six areas of balance sheet financial performance, namely the ability to scale, balance sheet growth, risk profile, profitability, asset quality and liquidity. National Bank of Egypt registered strong balance sheet growth and demonstrated good asset quality and a strong liquidity position.

The top 10 strongest banks in Africa comprise three Nigerian banks, three South African banks and two each from Egypt and Mauritius. The weighted average strength score of African banks on the list declined to 3 from 3.13 in last year’s evaluation, while Egyptian and South African banks continued to outperform.

The profitability of African banks on the list weakened in 2020, with average return on assets (ROA) down from 1.74% in 2019 to 1.07% and average cost-to-income ratio up to 51.7% from 50%. South African banks had the biggest fall in average ROA, from 1.71% to 0.74%, and Kenyan banks also witnessed a significant drop in average ROA from 2.8% to 1.85%. Banks in Morocco recorded the lowest average ROA at 0.45%, while Ghanaian and Nigerian banks reported the highest, at 3.34% and 1.96% respectively.

Egyptian banks demonstrated the strongest asset quality with a 3.5% average gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio in 2020, lower than the average for all African banks on the list at 5.9%. Kenyan banks saw average gross NPL ratio weaken from 10.1% to 12.6%, the worst in the region. In addition, the average LLRs to gross NPLs ratio of Egyptian banks reached 259%, much higher than 68.6% for South African banks and 72.4% for Kenyan banks. The average gross NPL ratio of Ghanaian banks remained high at 10.9%, albeit seeing some improvement in 2020.

African banks performed strongly in terms of liquidity, with average liquid assets to total deposits and borrowings ratio up from 41.7% to 46.2%. Banks in Egypt maintained the highest liquid assets to total deposits and borrowings ratio at 59.4%, followed by Nigeria with 57.9% and Mauritius with 50.1%. Meanwhile, African banks maintained sufficient capital buffers as most banking sectors experienced an improvement in the level of capitalisation.

For a full explanation of the evaluation criteria please click here.

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Strength Rank 2021 MEA 200 Rank 2021 Bank Country Assets YoY Growth in Loans YoY Growth in Deposits Loan to Deposit Ratio Capital Adequacy Ratio YoY Growth in Operating Profit Return on Asset Cost to Income Ratio Non-interest Income/Total Operating Income Loan Loss Reserves / Gross NPLs Gross Non-Performing Loan Ratio Liquid Assets / Total Deposits and Borrowings Aggregate Strength Score 2021
Score (17.5%) Score (2.5%) Score (2.5%) Score (7.5%) Score (12.5%) Score (5.0%) Score (7.5%) Score (7.5%) Score (7.5%) Score (12.5%) Score (12.5%) Score (5.0%)
16National Bank of EgyptEgypt5.04.54.55.0 2.3 0.0 2.0 4.5 2.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 3.77
240Commercial International Bank Egypt3.01.52.55.0 5.0 1.5 5.0 5.0 0.5 5.0 2.5 5.0 3.68
349Zenith Bank Nigeria2.54.54.05.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.5 5.0 5.0 2.5 5.0 3.61
467Mauritius Commercial Bank Mauritius1.52.53.54.5 4.5 1.5 5.0 5.0 3.5 5.0 2.5 4.5 3.56
548Access Bank Nigeria2.53.54.55.0 2.5 5.0 4.0 1.5 5.0 4.5 2.5 4.5 3.46
69FirstRand South Africa4.52.52.03.5 4.0 0.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 2.0 4.5 3.39
750United Bank for Africa Nigeria2.54.55.05.0 2.5 2.5 5.0 2.0 4.0 4.0 2.5 5.0 3.38
873Capitec Bank Holdings South Africa1.50.53.55.0 5.0 1.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 0.0 5.0 3.34
94Standard Bank Group South Africa5.02.03.03.5 4.0 0.0 2.0 1.5 5.0 3.0 2.0 5.0 3.28
9134HSBC Bank (Mauritius) Mauritius0.50.53.05.0 5.0 0.0 1.5 4.0 2.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 3.28
11189Guaranty Trust Bank (Ghana) Ghana0.05.05.05.0 2.5 3.0 5.0 5.0 5.0 2.0 4.5 4.5 3.25
12178Citibank Kenya Kenya0.05.04.05.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.0 4.5 5.0 3.5 5.0 3.24
1365Guaranty Trust Holding CompanyNigeria1.53.55.05.0 2.5 1.0 5.0 4.5 4.0 3.5 2.0 5.0 3.16
13168Zenith Bank (Ghana) Ghana0.05.04.55.0 5.0 4.0 5.0 5.0 2.5 2.5 2.0 4.5 3.16
1594Stanbic IBTC Holdings Nigeria1.04.04.53.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.5 4.0 5.0 2.5 5.0 3.13
16144Al Ahli Bank of Kuwait - EgyptEgypt0.03.03.54.5 2.3 5.0 5.0 4.5 1.5 5.0 3.0 5.0 3.11
17107Al Baraka Bank Egypt Egypt0.54.01.05.0 2.5 4.0 5.0 5.0 2.0 5.0 2.0 4.5 3.10
1854QNB ALAHLI Egypt2.02.52.53.5 2.5 1.0 5.0 5.0 1.5 5.0 3.0 2.0 3.06
18103Bank Audi EgyptEgypt1.04.03.05.0 2.5 2.0 5.0 5.0 1.5 4.5 2.0 5.0 3.06
18122Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Nigeria0.51.54.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 1.0 5.0 5.0 3.5 5.0 3.06
21160Consolidated Bank (Ghana) Ghana0.05.04.55.0 5.0 4.0 1.0 0.5 2.0 5.0 5.0 1.5 3.03
22198Rand Merchant Bank Nigeria Nigeria0.03.03.00.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.5 4.5 5.0 5.0 5.0 3.01
2318Attijariwafa BankMorocco4.52.01.51.5 3.5 0.0 1.5 3.0 3.5 4.5 1.5 4.5 3.00
23119National Bank of Kuwait - EgyptEgypt0.53.00.54.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 5.0 2.0 5.0 3.5 5.0 3.00
25132Credit Agricole - Egypt Bank Egypt0.53.01.04.5 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.5 2.5 5.0 3.0 5.0 2.99
2679Equity GroupKenya1.04.55.04.5 2.5 3.5 5.0 3.5 3.0 4.0 1.0 5.0 2.98
26117AfrAsia Bank Mauritius0.52.53.05.0 4.0 0.5 3.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 1.0 5.0 2.98
26120Housing and Development BankEgypt0.53.53.05.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.5 3.5 5.0 1.5 5.0 2.98
2910Absa Group South Africa4.52.03.01.0 4.0 1.0 1.0 2.0 4.5 3.0 2.0 4.5 2.95
2915Banque Misr Egypt4.54.54.05.0 2.5 4.5 3.0 5.0 2.5 0.0 0.0 5.0 2.95
2989SBM HoldingsMauritius1.03.02.55.0 5.0 4.5 1.0 3.0 4.0 4.0 0.5 5.0 2.95
32109Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank - Egypt Egypt0.54.54.04.5 1.8 0.0 5.0 4.5 1.5 5.0 3.5 4.0 2.94
33104FCMB Group Nigeria1.04.04.54.0 2.0 3.5 3.0 1.5 3.0 5.0 3.0 5.0 2.93
34194Jaiz Bank Nigeria0.05.04.55.0 5.0 5.0 4.5 2.0 4.5 2.5 0.5 4.5 2.91
3530Investec South Africa4.01.50.53.0 4.0 0.0 1.5 2.5 4.5 1.5 3.0 4.5 2.90
3590Fidelity Bank Nigeria1.04.05.03.0 2.5 5.0 3.5 1.5 2.0 5.0 2.5 5.0 2.90
35169Standard Chartered Bank Ghana Ghana0.01.01.55.0 5.0 4.5 5.0 5.0 4.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 2.90
3821Banque Centrale PopulaireMorocco4.01.51.53.0 3.5 0.0 0.5 2.5 4.0 4.5 1.0 4.5 2.88
3896Bank of AlexandriaEgypt1.03.50.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.0 1.0 5.0 2.5 4.5 2.88
4012Nedbank Group South Africa4.51.51.52.0 4.0 0.0 1.0 2.0 4.5 2.5 2.0 4.5 2.86
40112Egyptian Gulf Bank Egypt0.51.01.55.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 3.5 1.0 5.0 4.5 5.0 2.86
40199ABC Banking Corporation Mauritius0.04.52.05.0 4.5 3.5 1.5 4.0 3.5 3.5 2.0 4.5 2.86
43192Bidvest Bank South Africa0.02.02.55.0 5.0 0.0 2.5 0.0 1.5 5.0 4.5 5.0 2.85
44196First Atlantic Bank Ghana0.05.04.55.0 5.0 4.5 5.0 2.5 4.0 1.5 0.5 5.0 2.83
45101Union Bank of Nigeria Nigeria1.04.54.04.5 2.3 3.5 2.0 0.0 4.0 5.0 2.5 5.0 2.82
46138Stanbic Holdings Kenya0.52.02.53.5 5.0 0.5 5.0 3.0 4.5 3.5 0.5 5.0 2.80
47141Ecobank Ghana Ghana0.00.53.55.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.5 3.0 4.5 2.0 5.0 2.79
4888HSBC Bank EgyptEgypt1.03.02.05.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 5.0 2.0 3.5 1.5 5.0 2.76
49127Absa Bank (Mauritius) Mauritius0.50.51.05.0 5.0 0.0 1.5 2.0 2.0 4.5 3.0 5.0 2.73
49150Stanbic Bank Ghana Ghana0.03.55.05.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.0 4.5 2.5 2.0 5.0 2.73
5151FBN Holdings Nigeria2.54.03.55.0 2.3 1.0 4.0 1.5 4.5 1.5 1.5 5.0 2.71
52131Sterling Bank Nigeria0.51.01.54.5 2.5 3.0 2.0 0.5 3.0 5.0 3.5 5.0 2.68
52152Absa Bank Ghana Ghana0.03.04.04.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 4.0 3.5 3.0 2.0 5.0 2.68
5429Bank of AfricaMorocco4.02.01.01.5 3.5 0.0 1.0 2.0 3.0 4.0 1.5 4.0 2.66
54126The United BankEgypt0.53.51.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.0 2.0 4.0 1.5 5.0 2.66
56143GCB Bank Ghana0.01.53.55.0 2.5 3.0 5.0 2.5 2.5 5.0 1.5 2.5 2.65
57185MauBank Mauritius0.02.03.05.0 4.0 5.0 1.0 0.0 5.0 3.0 2.5 5.0 2.64
58180Societe Generale Ghana Ghana0.01.02.03.5 2.3 1.0 5.0 3.0 3.0 5.0 2.0 5.0 2.62
59162Investec Bank (Mauritius) Mauritius0.01.51.02.0 5.0 0.0 4.0 5.0 2.0 2.0 3.5 5.0 2.60
60158Standard Bank (Mauritius) Mauritius0.00.54.05.0 5.0 0.0 1.0 3.5 3.5 4.0 1.0 5.0 2.59
61130Suez Canal BankEgypt0.54.01.05.0 1.8 1.0 3.5 4.0 3.0 4.5 1.0 5.0 2.58
62106NCBA Group Kenya0.51.52.05.0 2.3 4.5 2.0 3.5 2.5 4.5 1.0 4.5 2.57
63179SBI (Mauritius) Mauritius0.01.03.03.0 5.0 0.0 1.5 4.5 3.0 4.0 1.5 5.0 2.56
64133I&M Holdings Kenya0.52.53.03.5 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.0 3.5 3.0 1.5 4.5 2.53
65113Societe Arabe Internationale de BanqueEgypt0.53.50.55.0 2.3 3.0 1.0 2.0 2.0 4.5 2.5 5.0 2.49
6681KCB Group Kenya1.03.52.03.0 2.5 2.0 5.0 4.0 3.0 3.0 0.5 3.5 2.46
67151Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank - EgyptEgypt0.04.52.55.0 2.3 0.0 4.5 4.0 2.0 2.5 2.0 5.0 2.43
68167Bank One Mauritius0.00.00.55.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 2.5 3.0 4.5 1.5 5.0 2.43
69172Al Salam Bank-AlgeriaAlgeria0.02.54.51.5 0.0 0.0 5.0 4.5 2.0 5.0 3.0 5.0 2.40
70128Ahli United Bank (Egypt) Egypt0.53.50.04.5 2.5 0.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 2.5 5.0 2.39
71191United Bank for Africa (Ghana) Ghana0.04.03.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 5.0 2.5 2.5 0.0 5.0 2.38
71200HBZ Bank South Africa0.02.50.55.0 4.0 0.0 4.0 2.5 2.0 2.0 2.5 4.5 2.38
73166Bank of Baroda (Kenya) Kenya0.02.03.05.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 5.0 0.5 2.5 1.0 5.0 2.36
74171Unity BankNigeria0.05.05.05.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 0.0 2.0 5.0 5.0 4.0 2.34
75129Absa Bank Kenya Kenya0.52.51.52.5 2.3 0.0 3.0 2.5 3.5 4.5 1.5 5.0 2.33
76175Access Bank (Ghana) Ghana0.00.54.55.0 2.5 5.0 5.0 4.5 4.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 2.33
76188SBM Bank (Kenya) Kenya0.05.02.05.0 4.5 5.0 2.0 0.0 2.5 3.0 0.0 5.0 2.33
7862Arab African International BankEgypt1.51.02.05.0 2.5 0.0 1.5 4.5 2.0 3.0 0.5 5.0 2.31
78139Standard Chartered Bank KenyaKenya0.01.02.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 2.5 3.0 3.0 1.0 5.0 2.31
78170CalBank Ghana0.00.02.55.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.5 2.5 3.0 0.5 4.5 2.31
81174Prime Bank Kenya0.01.02.05.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.0 3.5 2.0 1.0 4.5 2.30
82145Wema Bank Nigeria0.04.55.05.0 2.0 0.0 1.5 0.5 4.0 3.5 2.0 5.0 2.25
83187Arab Banking Corporation - Egypt Egypt0.04.00.55.0 2.5 0.0 1.5 1.5 2.0 4.5 2.0 5.0 2.24
84176CFG BankMorocco0.05.04.00.0 0.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 5.0 4.5 4.0 2.20
85177Agricultural Development Bank Ghana0.04.54.05.0 2.0 5.0 4.0 0.5 2.5 3.0 0.0 4.0 2.19
86182Family Bank Kenya0.03.53.52.5 2.5 4.0 4.0 2.0 3.0 2.5 0.5 3.5 2.10
87164Fidelity Bank Ghana Ghana0.01.54.05.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 3.0 2.0 0.5 1.0 5.0 2.09
88102Ecobank Nigeria Nigeria1.03.01.04.5 2.5 5.0 1.0 0.0 3.5 2.5 0.0 5.0 2.08
89105Co-operative Bank of Kenya Kenya0.52.52.53.0 2.3 0.0 5.0 2.5 3.5 2.5 0.0 4.0 2.06
9087Faisal Islamic Bank of EgyptEgypt1.02.02.55.0 2.5 1.5 5.0 4.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 5.0 2.01
91136Polaris BankNigeria0.53.01.55.0 2.3 0.0 5.0 1.5 1.0 3.0 0.0 3.0 1.94
92190Prudential Bank Ghana0.02.53.54.0 2.5 5.0 2.5 2.0 3.0 1.5 0.0 3.5 1.94
93121Diamond Trust Bank Kenya Kenya0.52.51.54.0 2.5 0.0 2.0 3.0 2.5 2.5 1.0 2.5 1.93
94161African Bank HoldingsSouth Africa0.00.55.00.0 5.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 2.0 4.0 0.0 4.5 1.90
9574CIH BankMorocco1.54.03.50.0 2.0 1.5 0.5 2.0 3.5 2.5 1.5 3.0 1.88
9595Crdit du MarocMorocco1.01.51.01.0 2.0 0.0 1.0 2.5 2.5 4.0 1.5 3.5 1.88
97197Universal Merchant Bank Ghana0.05.04.05.0 2.3 5.0 2.0 0.5 3.5 0.0 0.5 4.5 1.87
98184Grindrod Bank South Africa0.03.00.02.5 4.0 5.0 1.5 2.5 4.5 0.5 0.5 1.5 1.85
9985Banque Marocaine pour le Commerce et l'IndustrieMorocco1.01.00.50.0 4.0 0.0 0.5 2.5 2.5 4.0 0.5 3.0 1.84
99156Banque Al Baraka D'Algerie Algeria0.01.01.52.5 0.0 0.0 4.5 5.0 2.5 2.0 1.5 5.0 1.84
101114Emirates NBD EgyptEgypt0.54.02.03.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 1.83
101195Albaraka Bank South Africa0.01.03.54.0 4.5 0.0 1.0 0.5 1.5 0.5 2.5 5.0 1.83
103140BLOM Bank EgyptEgypt0.01.50.55.0 2.5 0.0 5.0 5.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 1.81
104183Sasfin Holdings South Africa0.00.51.00.0 4.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 3.5 1.5 4.5 1.79
105193BCP Bank (Mauritius)Mauritius0.00.50.52.0 3.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 3.5 3.5 1.5 5.0 1.75
10666Societe Generale Marocaine de BanquesMorocco1.52.01.00.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 3.0 3.0 4.0 0.5 2.0 1.60
107153BNP Paribas El DjazairAlgeria0.00.51.03.5 2.0 0.0 3.0 3.5 2.5 0.0 0.0 5.0 1.48
10843Banque Nationale D'Algerie Algeria3.02.00.50.0 0.0 0.0 1.5 5.0 1.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 1.40
109155Gulf Bank AlgeriaAlgeria0.03.02.02.5 0.0 0.0 5.0 4.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 1.36
110181Ecobank Kenya Kenya0.03.55.05.0 2.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 1.34
111148Keystone Bank Nigeria0.05.05.05.0 0.0 0.0 1.0 0.0 2.0 0.0 0.0 4.5 1.08
112154Standard Chartered Bank (Mauritius) Mauritius0.00.52.55.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.5 2.0 0.0 0.0 5.0 1.04

Notes: (1) 5 = Highest score, 0 = Lowest score. Scores are only shown to one decimal place, but rankings reflect full information.
Source: TABInsights