Nigerian banks are going more digital than ever, with GTBank and UBA leading the charge in the third quarter of 2025. 

A new report from Conversion Tracker shows that the country’s banking sector saw a 15% rise in digital activity, as more people used websites and apps to open accounts, apply for loans, and manage their money online.

According to the report, Nigerian banks recorded over 35.8 million digital sessions in Q3, a clear sign that more customers are choosing online banking. 

The study covered 15 major banks, including Access Bank, Fidelity Bank, Stanbic IBTC, Standard Chartered, and First Bank. It analyzed everything from where the traffic came from to how many users actually completed actions like sign-ups or transactions.

How organic channels is leading the way

Most customers found their way to banking platforms through organic search and direct visits, showing that people are actively looking for these services. Direct traffic accounted for 43% of all visits, while organic search made up 26%. 

Paid ads and social media together contributed 15%, followed by email and referrals (10%) and mainstream news (6%).

Interestingly, younger users responded more to social media and paid campaigns, while search engines like Google remained strong drivers of meaningful traffic. 

Google alone accounted for about 5 million sessions, with lower bounce rates, meaning users stayed longer and were more likely to take action.

The conversion and bounce rate

The report revealed that overall conversion rates improved to 2.8%, a 1.8% jump from the previous quarter. Bounce rates when users leave a site quickly dropped to 41%, showing that visitors are finding more value when they land on banking platforms.

Most users were interested in basic banking activities. Logins and account openings made up 45% of sessions, followed by loans (25%), investments and remittances (15%), savings (10%), and insurance (5%).

GTBank and UBA lead the pack

GTBank came out on top with a 4.2% conversion rate and the lowest bounce rate at 32%. Its success came largely from strong visibility on Google and active engagement on social media. UBA followed closely with a 4.0% conversion rate and 33% bounce rate, boosted by customer loyalty and balanced marketing strategies.

Access Bank also performed strongly with a 3.8% conversion rate, driven by its investment in paid search and solid social media activity.

When it came to organic traffic, GTBank (54%) and Fidelity Bank (51%) were ahead of others, showing how well-optimized their online presence is. Smaller banks like Globus and Keystone lagged behind, suggesting they still have room to improve in content and SEO.

Social media remains a major tool for reaching younger Nigerians. GTBank and Ecobank performed best here, with around 30% of their traffic coming from social platforms through engaging posts and viral campaigns.

Smaller banks also used email marketing to reconnect with old customers. Union Bank and Keystone gained the most from referral programs, showing that partnerships and affiliate links are helping attract more users.