Access Bank PLC has once again emerged as Nigeria’s most valuable brand, securing the top position for the fourth consecutive year in the latest “Nigeria 25 2025” ranking by Brand Finance, the world’s leading brand valuation consultancy.

This achievement reaffirms Access Bank’s sustained brand leadership and its impact on the financial landscape through innovation, customer-centricity, and strategic growth.

The 2025 report shows that banks now account for 59per cent of the total brand value in the ranking, reflecting the strength and influence of the sector in shaping Nigeria’s economic future.

The Nigeria 25 2025 ranking also highlights considerable shifts in the country’s strongest brands, with banking brands rising through the ranks to dominate the top 10. This demonstrates a growing recognition of the sector’s resilience and adaptability, particularly as financial services play an increasingly crucial role in driving Nigeria’s economy forward.

Babatunde Odumeru, Managing Director, Brand Finance Nigeria, noted that, “Nigerian banking brands continue to grow, successfully navigating a challenging economic landscape with strategic agility while also maintaining customer loyalty.”

Commenting on the ranking, Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank, said:

“This recognition as Nigeria’s most valuable brand for the fourth year running is a testament to the strength of our people, our customers’ trust, and the strategic clarity that drives everything we do. At Access Bank, we remain committed to delivering value through innovation, financial inclusion, and impactful partnerships across Africa and beyond.”

Also speaking on the milestone, Bolaji Agbede, Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings PLC, stated:

“Access Bank’s brand leadership reflects the Group’s long-term vision of becoming the world’s most respected African financial institution. As we continue to evolve and expand our footprint, we are focused on delivering sustainable growth, deepening stakeholder trust, and enhancing the customer experience across all our markets.”

Access Bank’s performance in the ranking showcases the results of sustained brand investment, operational excellence, and strategic expansion across Africa, with a growing presence in key global markets.

The dominance of banks in the “Nigeria 25 2025” list further reinforces investor and consumer confidence in the sector’s long-term stability, innovation capacity, and economic significance.

The Yoruba nation activist, Sunday Adeyemo, fondly called Sunday Igboho, on Wednesday, said he is still on the wanted list of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Igboho lambasted a former director in President Bola Tinubu’s Presidential Campaign Council, Naja’atu Mohammed, for reportedly saying he was enjoying freedom of movement despite being on the wanted list of the Federal Government.

Recall that Igboho was declared wanted by the Department of State Services for allegedly stockpiling arms and ammunition.

It will be recalled that Naja’atu had reportedly raised concerns over what she described as a disparity in the government’s treatment of separatist figures, questioning why there had been silence regarding the secessionist activities of Igboho, while Nnamdi Kanu remained in prolonged detention.

Naja’atu also accused Tinubu of sidelining the North in the governance of the country after exploring the region’s electoral value to attain power during the 2023 general election.

However, in a personally signed statement forwarded to The PUNCH in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, on Wednesday, Igboho said Naja’atu’s claim about his freedom aptly showed her ignorance and myopic mindset.

He said, “I’m still on the wanted list of the Federal Government despite the Presidency headed by President Tinubu.”

The activist described her claim as “unfounded and ridiculous, cautioning her to desist from dragging his name into propaganda and campaign of calumny aimed at rubbishing the government of Tinubu.”

The statement reads, “Currently, I’m using my German passport to travel in Europe and other continents and cannot enter the shores of Nigeria, having been declared wanted by security agencies under the leadership of former despotic President Muhammadu Buhari, who handed over a comatose economy to the present government. The order declaring me wanted still remains subsisting under the present government.

“What was my offence? Because I voiced my objection to the incessant killings of farmers, maiming and sexual violation of women perpetrated by herders against South-West communities, most especially in agrarian settlements during the inglorious regime of the immediate past President Buhari.

“It is on record that on July 1, 2021, a combined team of heavily armed personnel from the DSS and the Nigerian Army invaded my residence in Ibadan, with the intent to either arrest or assassinate me. At the end of the vicious attack, which lasted for hours, two of my people were shot dead while 13 others were arrested.

“Since Nigeria attained independence and the advent of democratic rule, out of 16 presidents who governed the nation, only two are from the Yoruba ethnic group- former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the incumbent President Tinubu.”

He added, “Where was Naja’atu Mohammed when Boko Haram terrorists and Fulani herders were wreaking havoc on Nigerians in the North and South-West through mindless killings during the administration of ex-President Buhari. During this period, an Islamic cleric, Abubakar Gumi, who was the negotiator between the Federal Government and terrorist groups, made millions of dollars.

“It’s because Tinubu’s government has resolved to tackle insurgency headlong rather than employing the service of the likes of Gumi which prompted spurious claims and mischievous propaganda by this woman. But she should desist from bringing my name into her diatribe.”

The Minister of Housing and Urban Development, Ahmed Dangiwa, and the Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ola Olukoyede, jointly inspected a confiscated 753 units housing estate comprising 753 units, previously owned by former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele.

The estate, located in Abuja, was recovered by the EFCC and officially handed over to the Federal Ministry of Housing and Urban Development in line with a directive from President Bola Tinubu.

Speaking during the inspection on Wednesday, Dangiwa disclosed that the ministry would immediately commence technical assessments by conducting integrity tests on the buildings.

He noted that upon successful evaluation, the housing units will be completed and made available for purchase by Nigerians through the Renewed Hope Housing Portal, which is already active.

“The government of the day is serious about fighting corruption. This recovery is a landmark achievement—one of the most significant in the country’s recent history within such a short time. It reflects our commitment to transparency, accountability, and ensuring that national assets serve the Nigerian people,” Dangiwa said.

He further urged public office holders to shun corrupt practices and called on Nigerians to continue to support the EFCC in its mission to recover looted assets for public benefit.

On his part, EFCC Chairman Olukoyede emphasised the importance of public trust and transparency in the agency’s work.

“What many Nigerians had seen previously were just aerial shots on television. The essence of this visit is to show that it is real. We want the public to know that the EFCC does not just seize properties—it ensures they are put to productive use,” he stated.

The estate is expected to be integrated into the Federal Government’s National Social Housing Programme, in alignment with President Tinubu’s agenda to promote affordable housing and good governance.

Earlier on Tuesday, the Ministry of Housing and Urban Development officially confirmed receipt of the property from the EFCC during a handover ceremony held at the Ministry’s headquarters in Mabushi, Abuja.

In a statement issued by the Ministry’s Director of Press and Public Relations, Salisu Badamasi Haiba, Dangiwa applauded the EFCC for its commitment to asset recovery and the broader anti-corruption fight.

“This marks a significant milestone in our collective determination to ensure that recovered assets are put to productive use in ways that directly benefit the Nigerian people. The housing estate recovered from the former governor of the central bank is a case in point,” the statement read.

The estate, located at Plot 109, Cadastral Zone CO9, Lokogoma District, Abuja, spans over 150,000 square metres. The seized property secured both interim and final forfeiture orders in December 2024.

Emefiele, through his lawyer Adeyinka Kotoye (SAN), had argued that he was not properly informed about the proceedings and claimed the EFCC published the notice in an obscure part of a newspaper. He said his ongoing trials in Abuja and Lagos also made it difficult to respond in time.

However, Justice Jude Onwuegbuzie ruled that the publication met legal requirements and that Emefiele had enough time—over two weeks—to challenge the forfeiture but failed to do so.

The judge stressed that only those with a clear legal interest in a property can apply to reverse a forfeiture. He dismissed Emefiele’s motion, affirming the estate’s permanent forfeiture to the government.