Determinants Of Bank Performance In Nigeria: A Study Of Ten Selected Commercial Banks In Nigeria

ABSTRACT

There are increasing scholarly debates on the direction of policy to effectively improve the performance of commercial banks in Nigeria. Some scholars argue that bank performance is enhanced by improvements in the internal organization and managerial efficiency while others argue that industry wide factors are integral to bank performance. In recent times, the direction of literature has shown that macroeconomic factors play a significant role in determining bank profitability. This paper investigates the determinants of bank profitability in the light of bank specific variables and macroeconomic influences, using a panel of selected banks that account for over 60% of total bank assets in Nigeria. Findings show that bank profitability is largely determined by bank size, non interest income, expenses management and inflation for both internal organization of banking firms and external variables. Based on our findings we recommend bank’s management should effectively pursue policies that will enhance  their balance  sheet with regards  to both internal organization  and external influences.