# First Bank of Nigeria (FirstMobile)

> Source: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/first-bank-nigeria
> research date 2026-05-30 · extracted at 2026-10-03
> Publisher: Barcoder — encyclopedia of QR, barcode and payment-code standards

Specifications:
- [First Bank of Nigeria — official](https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/)

## Overview

**First Bank of Nigeria (FirstMobile)** is **Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** + **15M+ customers** + **8M+ FirstMobile App users** + **16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users** + **10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [Nigeria report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/NG)</sup>. **2025 baseline**: First Bank of Nigeria 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users; **10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** distinctive Nigerian banking app penetration; **First Bank of Nigeria Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** distinctive Nigerian banking heritage.

**Distinctive First Bank of Nigeria positioning**:
- **Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** (Bank of British West Africa heritage)
- **15M+ customers** distinctive Nigerian banking scale
- **8M+ FirstMobile App users** distinctive Nigerian mobile banking penetration
- **16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users** distinctive Nigerian USSD banking financial inclusion
- **10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** distinctive Nigerian banking app penetration
- **First Bank of Nigeria Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** distinctive Nigerian banking heritage
- **1894 First Bank of Nigeria founding as Bank of British West Africa** distinctive colonial Nigerian banking heritage → 1979 First Bank of Nigeria renaming

## History

**1894 — First Bank of Nigeria founded as Bank of British West Africa** as colonial Nigerian commercial bank.

**1969 — Bank of British West Africa renamed Bank of West Africa**.

**1979 — Bank of West Africa renamed First Bank of Nigeria** post-Nigerian banking heritage.

**2012 — FBN Holdings IPO on NGX (Nigerian Stock Exchange)** distinctive Nigerian banking holding company.

**2015 — FirstMobile mobile banking app launches** as Nigerian mobile-first banking.

**2025 — First Bank of Nigeria 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users + 10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>.

## Ownership & operator

**Operating entity**: **First Bank of Nigeria Ltd.** (FBN Holdings; NGX: FBNH; Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894).

**Major shareholders**: **Femi Otedola (Geregu Power Plc + Forte Oil Plc Nigerian businessman) largest shareholder ~9-11% + Nigerian retail + institutional + foreign investors**.

**Regulators**: **CBN (Central Bank of Nigeria) + NDIC (Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation)**.

## Technical integration

FirstMobile mobile banking app (iOS + Android; 8M+ users; 10M+ Google Play downloads 2025) + USSD banking *894# (16.9M+ users) + firstbanknigeria.com online + First Bank of Nigeria branch network Nigeria + Ghana + Gambia + Guinea + Sierra Leone + Senegal + DRC + Netherlands + France + UK + China + First Bank of Nigeria Visa + Mastercard cards; Nigerian Instant Payment + NIBSS NIP + NQR.

## Users & growth

**2025**: First Bank of Nigeria 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users + 10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads.

## Use cases

Nigerian + West African retail + private + SME + commercial + USSD banking via FirstMobile mobile + USSD banking *894# + firstbanknigeria.com online + First Bank of Nigeria branch network Nigeria + Ghana + Gambia + Guinea + Sierra Leone + Senegal + DRC + Netherlands + France + UK + China + Visa/Mastercard cards; Nigerian Instant Payment + NIBSS NIP + NQR.

## Implementations & partners

**Operator**: First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. (FBN Holdings; NGX: FBNH; Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894); Femi Otedola (Geregu Power Plc + Forte Oil Plc Nigerian businessman) largest shareholder ~9-11% + Nigerian retail + institutional + foreign investors.

**Major Nigerian banking competitors**: [GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank; GTWorld)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/gtbank) (Guaranty Trust Bank Plc; GTCO; NGX: GTCO; one of Nigeria's leading commercial banks; ~20M+ customers; GTWorld app) + [Zenith Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/zenith-bank) (Zenith Bank Plc; NGX: ZENITHBANK; one of Nigeria's largest commercial banks by assets) + [Access Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/access-bank) (Access Bank Plc; NGX: ACCESSCORP; Nigeria's largest commercial bank by assets post-2019 Diamond Bank merger; ~60M+ customers; African banking expansion across 17 countries) + [UBA (United Bank for Africa)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/uba) (United Bank for Africa Plc; NGX: UBA; Nigerian + 20 African countries pan-African bank) + [Stanbic IBTC Nigeria / Stanbic IBTC Mobile 3.0 (APPbility)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/stanbic-ibtc) (Stanbic IBTC; NGX: STANBIC; Standard Bank Group South African parent) + [Ecobank / Ecobank Mobile App](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/ecobank) (Ecobank Transnational Inc; NGX: ETI; pan-African banking 33+ countries) + [OPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/opay) (Nigerian super app + neobank; OPay; 30M+ users) + [PalmPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/palmpay) (Nigerian neobank; PalmPay; 35M+ users) + [Kuda Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/kuda-bank) (Nigerian neobank; Kuda Bank; 7M+ users) + [Carbon](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/carbon) (Nigerian digital bank; Carbon; 1M+ users) + [Moniepoint](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/moniepoint) (Nigerian business banking + agent network; Moniepoint; 16M+ users) + [Cellulant (Tingg)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/cellulant) (Nigerian + pan-African payments platform).

**Regulators**: CBN + NDIC.

## Fun facts

- **Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** (Bank of British West Africa heritage).
- **15M+ customers** distinctive Nigerian banking scale.
- **8M+ FirstMobile App users** distinctive Nigerian mobile banking penetration.
- **16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users** distinctive Nigerian USSD banking financial inclusion.
- **10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** distinctive Nigerian banking app penetration.
- **First Bank of Nigeria Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894** distinctive Nigerian banking heritage.
- **1894 First Bank of Nigeria founding as Bank of British West Africa** distinctive colonial Nigerian banking heritage → 1979 First Bank of Nigeria renaming.

## Comparison

| Feature | First Bank of Nigeria | [GTBank (Guaranty Trust Bank; GTWorld)](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/gtbank) (Guaranty Trust Bank Plc rival; one of Nigeria's leading commercial banks; ~20M+ customers; GTWorld app) | [Zenith Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/zenith-bank) (Zenith Bank Plc rival; one of Nigeria's largest commercial banks by assets) | [Access Bank](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/access-bank) (Access Bank Plc rival; Nigeria's largest commercial bank by assets post-2019 Diamond Bank merger; ~60M+ customers) | [OPay](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/wallets/opay) (Nigerian super app + neobank rival; 30M+ users) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Operator | **First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. (FBN Holdings; NGX: FBNH; Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894)** | Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (NGX: GTCO; LON: GRTB) | Zenith Bank Plc (NGX: ZENITHBANK) | Access Bank Plc (Access Holdings; NGX: ACCESSCORP) | OPay (Opera Norway-spun-off Chinese-backed Nigerian super app + neobank) |
| Type | **Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894 + 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users + 10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** | One of Nigeria's leading commercial banks + ~20M+ customers + GTWorld app | One of Nigeria's largest commercial banks by assets | Nigeria's largest commercial bank by assets post-2019 Diamond Bank merger + ~60M+ customers + African banking expansion across 17 countries | Nigerian super app + neobank + 30M+ users + Opera + Chinese Yidian Yongqian + SoftBank Vision Fund + Sequoia Capital China + Source Code Capital + Redpoint China + IDG Capital + Bertelsmann Asia investors |
| Country | NG + GH + GM + GN + SL + SN + CD + NL + FR + GB + CN | NG + 9 African countries + GB + KE + TZ + UG + GH + CI + GM + SL + LR + RW | NG + 8 African countries + GB | NG + 17 African countries + GB | NG + EG + PK + KE + ZA + others |
| Distinctive | **1894 First Bank of Nigeria founding as Bank of British West Africa (Nigeria's oldest commercial bank); 1969 Bank of British West Africa renamed Bank of West Africa; 1979 Bank of West Africa renamed First Bank of Nigeria; 2012 FBN Holdings IPO on NGX; 2015 FirstMobile mobile banking app launch; 2025 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users** | 1990 GTBank founding; GTWorld app distinctive | 1990 Zenith Bank founding | 1989 Access Bank founding; 2019 Access Bank + Diamond Bank merger | 2018 OPay founding by Opera Norway spin-off; 2020 OPay Pakistan + Egypt expansion |

## Status

**Active, Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894 + 15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users + 10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025** <sup>[1][1], [2][2], [3][3]</sup>:
- **First Bank of Nigeria Ltd. (FBN Holdings; NGX: FBNH; Nigeria's oldest commercial bank since 1894)** since 1894 First Bank of Nigeria founding as Bank of British West Africa + 1969 Bank of British West Africa renamed Bank of West Africa + 1979 Bank of West Africa renamed First Bank of Nigeria + 2012 FBN Holdings IPO on NGX + 2015 FirstMobile mobile banking app launch.
- **15M+ customers + 8M+ FirstMobile App users + 16.9M+ USSD banking *894# users**.
- **10M+ FirstMobile App Google Play downloads 2025**.
- **CBN + NDIC regulated**.

## Sources

[1]: https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/getfirstmobile/ "FirstMobile — First Bank of Nigeria"
[2]: https://westafricatradehub.com/news/best-mobile-banks-nigeria/ "Best Mobile Banks in Nigeria 2026: Top Apps by Downloads — West Africa Trade Hub"
[3]: https://www.firstbanknigeria.com/firstbank-advances-its-mobile-banking-application/ "FIRSTBANK ADVANCES ITS MOBILE BANKING APPLICATION — First Bank of Nigeria"
[ng-cro]: https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/NG

- [1] [FirstMobile — First Bank of Nigeria][1]
- [2] [Best Mobile Banks in Nigeria 2026: Top Apps by Downloads — West Africa Trade Hub][2]
- [3] [FIRSTBANK ADVANCES ITS MOBILE BANKING APPLICATION — First Bank of Nigeria][3]
- <sup>[Nigeria report](https://docs.barcoder.ai/docs/payments/NG)</sup> In-corpus: `reports/countries/NG-nigeria.md`

## Source

Biography extracted from [first-bank-nigeria.md](https://docs.barcoder.ai/source/wallets/first-bank-nigeria). See `matrix.md` for standards-support matrix if present.