Why Most Nigerians Don’t Know Their Credit Score. And Why That’s a Problem
In Nigeria, millions of people have bank accounts.Millions transfer money daily.Millions take loans. But very few…
Banks Face Rising Bad Loans as CBN Ends Forbearance Measures
Nigeria’s banking industry recorded a rise in non-performing loans in 2025 following the Central Bank of Nigeria’s withdrawal of regulatory forbearance, with the NPL ratio climbing to about 7 per cent—above the 5 per cent prudential limit. The increase reflects the reclassification of previously restructured pandemic-era loans now recognised as impaired. While the CBN says the sector remains resilient, supported by strong liquidity, adequate capital buffers, and ongoing bank recapitalisation, it cautioned that persistently high bad loans could pose risks amid tight monetary conditions, urging stronger risk management and full implementation of the Global Standing Instruction framework.
Runner-Up Win at Zenith Bank Hackathon 2025, Unveils “Zenith IntelliScore” and Consumer Platform “CreditScore.Africa”
An AI credit intelligence team has emerged as Runner-Up Winner at the Zenith Bank Hackathon 2025, earning recognition for Zenith IntelliScore, an AI-powered alternative credit scoring engine designed to help banks make faster, fairer, and data-driven lending decisions. The team also unveiled CreditScore.Africa, a consumer-facing platform that empowers individuals and businesses with transparent, behaviour-based credit insights, reinforcing the growing role of AI in transforming Nigeria’s credit and lending ecosystem.