FirstBank Nigeria screened 505 corporate transactions worth more than ₦10 trillion for environmental, social and governance risks in 2025, more than doubling the 237 transactions valued at over ₦3 trillion screened a year earlier. The disclosure highlights a growing shift in how major Nigerian lenders assess credit risk.
The bank has also finalised a Green Product Credit Policy, incorporating ESG assessments into lending decisions across sectors including oil and gas, power, construction and agriculture. FirstBank said the framework aligns with its Climate Policy, Environmental and Social Management System, IFC Performance Standards and IFRS S1 and S2.
Beyond risk controls, the lender is expanding financing products for alternative energy, solar projects and greener mobility. Management described Nigeria's clean-energy transition as a significant financing gap that banks can help address.
For investors, the development matters because ESG considerations are increasingly becoming part of credit-risk management, potentially affecting which companies can access financing and on what terms. FirstBank said environmental and social exposures can affect borrowers' ability to repay over the life of a facility.
FirstBank also plans to publish its first sustainability report under IFRS S1 and S2. Investors should watch how the new framework influences the bank's lending mix, climate-finance growth and risk profile as sustainability reporting becomes more embedded in financial decision-making.
