Categories: NEWS

Zenith Bank, Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender, Enters Kenya’s Market, Acquires Paramount Bank

<h4>Zenith Bank<&sol;h4>&NewLine;<p>&nbsp&semi;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">OpenLife Nigeria<&sol;a> <&sol;strong>reports that Zenith Bank Plc&comma; Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender has officially entered the Kenyan market&comma; having completed a 100&percnt; acquisition of Paramount Bank&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The official signing ceremony for the acquisition of Paramount Bank by Zenith Bank Plc took place during the 2026 Africa-France &lpar;Africa Forward&rpar; Summit which held in Nairobi&comma; Kenya&comma; from May 11 to May 12&comma; 2026&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;28578" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-28578" style&equals;"width&colon; 300px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"size-medium wp-image-28578" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2025&sol;01&sol;Zenith-Bank-300x150&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Zenith Bank&comma; Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender&comma; Enters Kenya’s Market&comma; Acquires Paramount Bank " width&equals;"300" height&equals;"150" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-28578" class&equals;"wp-caption-text"><em><strong>Dame Adaora Umeoji&comma; Group CEO and Dr&period;Jim Ovia&comma; founder&comma; Zenith Bank Group<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>The acquisition provides <strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;">Zenith Bank Group<&sol;a><&sol;strong> Plc with a strategic entry into the East African market&comma; positioning it to better support cross-border trade and serve its growing base of regional and international clients&period;<br &sol;>&NewLine;<em><strong>&OpenCurlyDoubleQuote;This acquisition marks a significant step towards our long-term strategic growth agenda and a strong inroad into the East African markets&period; <&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;p>&NewLine;<p><em><strong>&&num;8220&semi;It further reinforces the Bank’s position as a leading financial institution in Sub-Saharan Africa and affirms the Bank’s mantra of following our customers’ businesses&comma;”<&sol;strong> <&sol;em>Zenith Bank said in a statement&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In attendance were President&sol;Chief Executive of Dangote Industries Limited&comma; Aliko Dangote&semi; Honourable Minister of Industry&comma; Trade &amp&semi; Investment&comma; Dr&period; Jumoke Oduwole MFR&semi; Shareholder Paramount Bank Kenya&comma; Mr&period; Anwarali Noorali Merali&semi; Founder of Zenith Bank Plc&comma; Mr&period; Jim Ovia CFR&semi; GMD&sol;CEO Zenith Bank PLC&comma; Dame&period; Dr&period; Adaora Umeoji OON&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;35731" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-35731" style&equals;"width&colon; 300px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"size-medium wp-image-35731" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2026&sol;05&sol;zenith-8-300x165&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"Zenith Bank&comma; Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender&comma; Enters Kenya’s Market&comma; Acquires Paramount Bank " width&equals;"300" height&equals;"165" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-35731" class&equals;"wp-caption-text"><em><strong>Dame Adaora Umeoji&comma; Group CEO&comma; Zenith Bank Plc&comma; Dr&period; Jim Ovia&comma; Founder&comma; Zenith Bank Group Plc and others in Kenya<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>Others include Executive Director of Zenith Bank PLC&comma; Mr&period; Adamu Lawani&semi; Company Secretary&sol;Head of Legal&comma; Zenith Bank PLC&comma; Mr&period; Michael Otu&semi; Group Head Foreign Subsidiaries&comma; Global Expansion &amp&semi; Cost Optimisation&comma; Zenith Bank PLC&comma; Mr&period; Olukayode Akinbinu and other top government officials&comma; regulators&comma; financial sector leaders&comma; Senior Management staff of the Bank and specially invited guests from both Nigeria and Kenya&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;35732" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-35732" style&equals;"width&colon; 300px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"size-medium wp-image-35732" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2026&sol;05&sol;Zenith-9-300x165&period;jpeg" alt&equals;"Zenith Bank&comma; Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender&comma; Enters Kenya’s Market&comma; Acquires Paramount Bank " width&equals;"300" height&equals;"165" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-35732" class&equals;"wp-caption-text"><em><strong>Nigerians and Kenyans executives at the signing ceremonies<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>With branches across the 36 States in Nigeria including the Federal Capital Territory&comma; FCT&comma; Abuja&comma; Zenith Bank has expanded its global and local footprints&comma; most notably opening a new branch in Manchester&comma; United Kingdom&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>This followed the opening of Paris&comma; France branch and operating <a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;www&period;vanguardngr&period;com&sol;">subsidiaries<&sol;a> located in Ghana&comma; Sierra Leone&comma; Gambia&comma; and Côte d&&num;8217&semi;Ivoire&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>In the Middle East &amp&semi; Asia&comma; the bank maintains a subsidiary in the United Arab Emirates &lpar;UAE&rpar; and a representative office in China as well as conducting frequent outreach programmes in United States cities like Los Angeles&comma; Atlanta&comma; Maryland&comma; and New York to process BVN&comma; NIN and account services&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;<figure id&equals;"attachment&lowbar;26182" aria-describedby&equals;"caption-attachment-26182" style&equals;"width&colon; 300px" class&equals;"wp-caption alignnone"><img class&equals;"size-medium wp-image-26182" src&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;wp-content&sol;uploads&sol;2024&sol;07&sol;Zenith--300x197&period;jpg" alt&equals;"Zenith Bank&comma; Nigeria’s Tier-1 Lender&comma; Enters Kenya’s Market&comma; Acquires Paramount Bank " width&equals;"300" height&equals;"197" &sol;><figcaption id&equals;"caption-attachment-26182" class&equals;"wp-caption-text"><em><strong>Zenith Bank&comma; Nigeria&&num;8217&semi;s leading bank in digital&comma; customers&&num;8217&semi; care and corporate governance<&sol;strong><&sol;em><&sol;figcaption><&sol;figure>&NewLine;<p>The financial records of the 35 years old bank have put smiles on the faces of stakeholders<&sol;p>&NewLine;<p>The audited 2025 financial results showed Zenith Bank Group&&num;8217&semi;s strong top-line growth&comma; with Total Assets increasing to over<strong><a href&equals;"https&colon;&sol;&sol;openlife&period;ng&sol;"> N31&period;46 trillion<&sol;a><&sol;strong> and Gross Earnings rising to N4&period;19 trillion from N3&period;97 trillion in 2024&period;<&sol;p>&NewLine;

Share This
Openlife Reporter

Recent Posts

26 Days After Oyo School Children, Teachers Were Kidnapped, Bandits Invade Kogi School, Gun Down VP, Abduct Students

26 Days After Oyo School Children OpenLife Nigeria reports that 26 days ago, students and…

18 hours ago

Unaffordable Cost Of Cooking Gas Returns Nigerian Households To FireWood Option

Unaffordable Cost Of Cooking Gas Returns Nigerian Households To FireWood Option   OpenLife Nigeria reports…

1 day ago

Peter Obi Draws Battle Line With Kenneth Okonkwo Over Alleged Defamation

Peter Obi Draws Battle Line With Kenneth Okonkwo Over Alleged Defamation     OpenLife Nigeria…

2 days ago

2027 Governorship Candidate Absent In Court To Answer Charges Over Alleged Cyberstalking

2027 Governorship Candidate Absent In Court To Answer Charges Over Alleged Cyberstalking   OpenLife Nigeria…

2 days ago

NCC Appoints Princess Oforitsenere Emiko as Interim Chairman of the Digital Bridge Institute Governing Board

NCC Appoints Princess Oforitsenere Emiko as Interim Chairman of the Digital Bridge Institute Governing Board…

2 days ago

World Cup Accredited Journalists Raise Alarm Over US Visa Denial

World Cup Accredited Journalists Raise Alarm Over US Visa Denial   OpenLife Nigeria reports that…

3 days ago

This website uses cookies.