FirstBank Nigeria screened 505 corporate transactions worth more than ₦10 trillion for environmental, social and governance (ESG) risks in 2025, more than tripling the value assessed a year earlier as the lender integrates sustainability checks deeper into its credit decisions.
The bank screened 237 transactions valued at over ₦3 trillion in 2024. Its latest framework now applies sector-specific ESG checks across areas including oil and gas, power, construction and agriculture, with environmental and social risks considered during credit underwriting rather than after financing decisions.
FirstBank has also finalised a Green Product Credit Policy, aligned with its Climate Policy, Environmental and Social Management System, IFC Performance Standards and IFRS S1 and S2. The bank is expanding climate-finance products including alternative-energy financing for individuals, solar financing for SMEs and green-energy vehicle financing.
For investors, the development is relevant to FBN Holdings, FirstBank’s parent, because tighter ESG screening could influence the quality and composition of its loan book while opening opportunities in emerging green-finance markets. However, the disclosure does not establish an immediate effect on FBN Holdings’ earnings.
Investors should watch how the new lending framework affects loan growth, credit quality and exposure to environmentally sensitive sectors as the bank expands sustainable-finance products.
