Abu Dhabi Bank to Open Nigerian Office, First in Sub-Saharan Africa
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB), the United Arab Emirates’ largest financial institution, has announced plans to open a representative office in Lagos, marking its first physical presence in sub-Saharan Africa as part of its regional expansion strategy.
The announcement was made at the Investopia Africa forum in Lagos, where FAB’s Group Head of Wholesale Banking, Martin Tricaud, said the move followed extensive market assessment aimed at closing a long-standing gap in the bank’s global footprint. With the new office, Nigeria will become the 22nd country in which FAB operates worldwide. Tricaud said Lagos was chosen because of its role as Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre and a major financial hub for West Africa. He noted that the representative office would not be limited to Nigeria alone but would also serve as a regional base for West African operations, supporting business development and client engagement across the sub-region. He described Africa as a key growth frontier, citing strong economic prospects, rapid population growth and rising demand for infrastructure financing, trade finance and international capital. FAB’s expansion comes amid deepening economic ties between Nigeria and Gulf countries. The bank recently partnered with the African Export–Import Bank (Afreximbank) to provide over $1.1 billion in financing for a section of the Lagos–Calabar Coastal Highway, one of Nigeria’s flagship infrastructure projects. While energy and infrastructure are expected to be initial focus areas—given Nigeria’s oil, gas and renewable energy potential—FAB said it also sees opportunities in trade finance, corporate banking and cross-border investments. Industry analysts say the planned Lagos office reflects growing international confidence in Nigeria’s long-term economic outlook and reinforces the country’s status as a gateway to West Africa. The presence of a major global lender is expected to support capital inflows and strengthen access to international financing.
