Deposit money banks in the country may have recovered over N496billion at the end of the second quarter, according the banking sector report released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS).
Non-performing loans dropped to a record N1.44 trillion in the second quarter of 2019, the reported stated.
Specifically, banks debts dropped to a 4-year low of N1.44 trillion in Q2 2019 from N1.93 trillion.
The latest NBS report shows that total gross loans in Nigerian banks currently stand at N15.4 trillion as at the end of June 2019. According to the report, the percentage of non-performing loans to the total loan dropped to a single digit of 9.30%.
The latest drop in non-performing loan to a single digit makes it the first time percentage of non-performing loans to total gross loans dropped to a single digit since the fourth quarter of 2015.
A further breakdown shows that huge drop in non-performing loans was recorded in oil and gas, real estate sector, information and communication, transportation and storage.
Specifically, in terms of value, the oil sector, which controls the biggest NPLs across sectors, dropped by N193 billion at the end of June. The real estate sector ranks second declining by N96.4 billion.
Other major sectors with drop in NPFLs include information and communication (N47 billion), finance and insurance (N31.45 billion), transportation and storage (N41.7 billion).
However, the major sector that recorded rise in NPLs is power and energy with a 34% rise amounting to N19.7 billion.
In Nigeria, NPLs represent one of the most serious liquidity challenges facing the Nigerian banking sector. Bank loans are regarded as regarded as risk assets because the monies advanced as loans by the banks belong to depositors. The risk arises in the event of massive defaults and makes it difficult for depositors’ monies to be available on demand.
