Stories and facts
The National Investment Bank, commonly known as NIB, is a state-owned commercial bank in Ghana. As one of the commercial banks licensed by the Bank of Ghana, the national banking regulator, NIB was established to promote the industrialization of all sectors within the country.
The bank has undergone significant management and financial restructuring to enhance its financial standing globally.
NIB is a medium-sized financial services provider in Ghana. As of December 2011, the total valuation of the bank's assets was approximately US$468.5 million (GHS:878.9 million), with shareholders' equity of about US$47 million (GHS:88.1 million).
The bank's mission is to excel in customer relationship and satisfaction while creating optimal value for its shareholders.
The history of NIB can be traced back to the period following the Second World War (WWII), when there were widespread agitations among the indigenous population due to the influx of foreign imports.
In response, a boycott led by the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) highlighted the need for greater involvement of indigenous individuals in the business sector. The colonial administration established the Gold Coast Industrial Development Corporation (GCIDC) in 1952, providing financial support to indigenous entrepreneurs.
The GCIDC played a crucial role in fostering entrepreneurship, particularly in sectors such as furniture making and baking. This initiative supported local businesses and enhanced the skills of local artisans by introducing mechanized sawmills and electric bakeries. Additionally, the GCIDC modernized laundry activities, addressing the need for local solutions to services that had traditionally been outsourced abroad.
The establishment of NIB was a response to the financial constraints faced by Ghanaian manufacturers and the private sector. The bank provided loans and equity to support over 100 joint ventures, benefiting major industries such as Nestle Ghana Limited, Novotel (now the Accra City Hotel), Kabel Metal (now Nexans Kabelmetal), and Aluworks.
In 2021, the government tasked NIB with a significant mission: to establish Ghana as the industrial hub of Africa. Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta urged the bank's Board of Directors to transform NIB into a profitable national asset, noting that the bank received a capital injection of GHC 800 million in 2020. Despite these efforts, NIB struggled to meet its objectives.
By July 2023, NIB underwent a comprehensive review to assess its sustainability as a state-owned financial institution. Bank of Ghana Governor Dr. Ernest Addison noted that NIB, along with other financial institutions, faced challenges related to under-capitalization, part of a broader financial sector cleanup in 2022.
The Government of Ghana proposed that ADB (Agricultural Development Bank) take over NIB to initiate restructuring, as NIB continued to struggle with profitability and could no longer be sustainably funded by the government. This proposal has faced criticism from the minority group in parliament, which raised concerns about the practicality of the decision, given the government's majority stake of over 60% in ADB.
As of September 2017, NIB maintains a network of 52 branches across Ghana, continuing its mission to support industrial and economic development throughout the country.
