Access Holdings, Nigeria’s biggest lender by assets, plans to expand operations to the UAE, China, India, Lebanon and Malta by 2027, Premium Times newspaper reported. 

In its five-year strategy plan, the bank seeks to establish itself as Africa’s gateway to the world.  

“By the end of 2027, we expect to be in at least 26 countries and at least three Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries supporting trade (United Kingdom, France and the US),” the bank said. 

Access Holdings expects its clientele base to hit 125 million by 2027, with retail clients making up 100 million of its customer base. 

The report said that the lender currently has over 52 million retail customers in 17 countries. 

The group’s digital lending increased to 146 billion nairas ($317 million) in 2021 from 2 billion nairas in 2017. 

(Editing by Cleofe Maceda; cleofe.maceda@lseg.com)