GCB Bank, Absa Bank, Ecobank, Stanbic, Fidelity Bank and Zenith Bank make up the top tier or first quartile banks in Ghana, according to the 2026 Ghana Banking Survey by PwC Ghana.A review of that only Zenith Bank moved into the top tier banks category in 2026.However, the remaining five have maintained their positions from 2025.Who are First Quartile Banks in Ghana?According to the professional services firm, the first quartile banks are the top-tier, largest lenders in the country.They hold the biggest share of total operating assets, customer deposits, and market power. In terms of asset sizes, these banks control the largest percentage of total operating assets in Ghana’s banking sector.These banks also command a lot when it comes to financial strength – deposit mobilization and strong profit margins. According to the survey, banks in the first quartile achieved notable improvements in profit-before-tax margins in 2025, notwithstanding the declining interest rates.Their performance was underpinned by average growth of 46% in trading income, 21% in interest income, and 19% in fees and commission income.The report added that Ghana’s banking sector demonstrated sustained profitability in 2025 despite a contracting interest rate environment. With the policy rate falling to 18% and the Ghana Reference Rate dropping below 20%, quartile analysis shows year-on-year improvements compared to 2024.This positive trend highlights banks’ strategic success in adapting through operational efficiency.Return on EquityFor return on equity (ROE), several banks in the first quartile recorded improved profitability in 2025.Notably, GCB achieved the highest ROE among the first quartile banks, increasing from 29.8% in 2024 to 34.0% in 2025.Zenith Bank recorded the largest improvement from 22.0% in 2024 to 32.7% in 2025Banks Performance in 2025The report pointed out that Ghana’s banking sector operated in a much more supportive macroeconomic environment in 2025, underpinned by easing inflation, exchange rate stability, stronger economic growth and improved fiscal conditions.The industry recorded strong balance sheet growth, improved liquidity, and sustained profitability.Asset growth was driven by continued deposit mobilisation, increased allocation to debt securities, and further growth in lending activity.Earnings remained robust, supported by stronger core banking revenues, higher trading income, and growth in fees and commissions.Even so, the outlook for earnings is becoming more challenging as lower interest rates narrow margins and reduce the benefit previously derived from a high-yield environment.It added that revenue patterns across the industry are also evolving, with a rising contribution from fees, commissions, and digitally enabled channels.In parallel, banks are investing in technology and operating infrastructure to improve service delivery, deepen customer engagement, and strengthen long-term competitiveness.Challenges Ahead The report alluded that the challenge ahead is not simply to navigate a lower interest rate environment while keeping existing business models intact, but to deliberately reposition for it.“Whether as factories, distributors, advisors, enablers, funders, segment specialists, or scaled conglomerates, banks will need to make clear choices about where they can win, invest in the capabilities that support those choices, and build business models capable of generating value beyond the interest-rate cycle”.“Such choices must be informed, at the root, by the respective purposes for their establishment as banks and their core values. Banks that move earliest and most decisively may be best placed to shape the industry’s next chapter”, it concluded.