Non-financial assets held by microfinance banks in Nigeria have surged to a record N358.787 billion in June 2025.
This is according to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest quarterly statistical bulletin.
This marks the highest figure since 2018, underscoring the sector’s growing reliance on tangible and intangible assets.
What the data is saying
The CBN data shows that the June 2025 figure represents a 0.88% increase month-on-month, rising from N355.650 billion in May 2025.
On a year-on-year basis, non-financial assets grew by N131.080 billion, representing a 57.56% increase compared to N227.707 billion in June 2024.
The data reflects steady growth over the years as microfinance banks continue to increase their interest in non-financial assets.
Month-on-month data
Monthly data highlights consistent growth. In January 2025, non-financial assets stood at N314.752 billion, compared to N168.691 billion in January 2024.
February data also shows an upward trend as non-financial assets reached N317.986 billion in 2025, up from N181.198 billion in February 2024.
March also reflects the surge reaching N320.334 billion in 2025, up from N197.298 billion in the same month in 2024.
Total assets of microfinance banks surge past N5 trillion
In addition to non-financial assets, the CBN bulletin revealed that the total assets of all licensed microfinance banks reached N5.228 trillion in May 2025, the highest level ever recorded.
Microfinance banks’ total assets increased by N1.267 trillion between December 2024 and May 2025, representing a 32% growth in five months.
This figure highlights the sector’s expanding financial base and is considered crucial for monitoring capitalization levels, regulatory compliance, and recapitalization exercises.
What non-financial assets represent
Non-financial assets are items that derive value from their substance, utility, or contractual rights, rather than being traded on financial markets like stocks or bonds.
They include tangible assets such as real estate, equipment, vehicles, and natural resources, as well as intangible assets like patents, goodwill, trademarks, and intellectual property.
What you should know
The CBN’s latest quarterly statistical bulletin also revealed that Nigerians withdrew a total of N36.34 trillion via automated teller machines between January and June 2025, a sharp rise of 197.66% from the N12.21 trillion recorded in the same period of 2024.
- This surge occurred despite new withdrawal fees introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
- Transaction volumes followed the same pattern. Nigerians carried out 858.80 million ATM withdrawals in the first half of 2025, up from 496.47 million in the corresponding period of 2024.
The increase of 362.34 million transactions represents a growth of 72.98%, indicating that higher charges did little to curb demand.
