Moroccan banks secure three spots in Africa's top 10 rankings

The 2026 African Business rankings for the continent’s top banks highlight the dominance of financial institutions from South Africa, Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria. Moroccan banks secured three positions within the top 10: Attijariwafa bank ranks third with $7.68 billion in Tier 1 capital, Banque Centrale Populaire (BCP) holds sixth place, and Bank of Africa moved up to ninth.

In Nigeria, despite a significant increase in combined Tier 1 capital—rising 48 percent from $10.3 billion in 2025 to $15.2 billion in 2026—no Nigerian lenders entered the top 10. This capital growth followed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s recapitalization programme, which aimed to strengthen capital buffers and financing capacity. While United Bank for Africa and Guaranty Trust Bank both climbed five places to 15th and 25th respectively, other major lenders like Access Bank and Zenith Bank saw their rankings slip due to stronger growth from competitors in other African markets.