Zenith Bank Targets London Listing, Expansion Drive

Zenith Bank Plc has unveiled plans to list on the London Stock Exchange by 2027 as part of efforts to deepen access to capital and strengthen its capacity to support growing cross-border transactions.

The bank, which is Nigeria’s second-largest by market value, said the proposed listing is aimed at positioning the bank to take advantage of financing opportunities across the United Kingdom and other international markets.

“There are a lot of deals we have on the table to finance across the UK and other countries, for which we need to raise more capital,” the bank said on Tuesday, without providing further details on the structure of the planned listing.

The move signals Zenith Bank’s growing international ambitions and comes on the heels of a similar outing by Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, which listed in London last year and raised $105 million, becoming the first Nigerian lender in recent times to tap the UK market.

In furtherance of its expansion strategy, Zenith Bank also disclosed plans to establish a new branch in Manchester, complementing its existing London operations, as it seeks to deepen its footprint in the UK financial market.

This is coming against the backdrop of ongoing regulatory reforms in Nigeria’s banking sector, where the Central Bank of Nigeria has directed lenders to shore up their capital bases to strengthen financial system stability.

Following the directive issued in 2024, leading banks have ramped up capital raising efforts, with Zenith Bank already surpassing the N500 billion minimum capital requirement set by the regulator.

Zenith Bank had earlier signalled its intention to expand into francophone West Africa, underscoring a broader strategy to diversify earnings and capture opportunities in under-penetrated markets. The planned London listing, alongside its regional expansion push, is expected to further enhance the bank’s competitiveness and reinforce its standing among Nigeria’s tier-one lenders.