ANALYSIS OF INTEREST RATE SPREAD ON FINANCIAL RESILIENCE OF QUOTED BANKS IN NIGERIA

Abstract

This paper examined the effect of interest rate spread (IRS) on financial resilience of quoted Nigerian banks from 2007 to 2021. Specifically, the paper examined the effect of deposit rate, lending rate, and interest rate differential on financial resilience of quoted Nigerian banks. The paper collected data from the CBN bulletin (2021) and Security Exchange Commission (SEC) annual report (2021) and the World Bank data base (2021). The study covered all the twenty one (21) commercial banks quoted in the Nigerian exchange group as of 31st December, 2021 using the census sampling approach. The study reported that, deposit (savings) rate/cost has a positive (coef=0.056833) insignificant (p-value=0.5327.5%) effect on financial resilience (bank z-score) of quoted banks in Nigeria. By extension, deposit (savings) rate/cost has a minimal effect on banks’ financial resilience. However, lending (borrowing) rate/cost interest rate differential (prime lending/borrowing rate/cost less savings/deposit rate/cost) exerted negative (coef= -0.527024&coef= -0.160001 respectively) significant (p-value=0.0001<5% &p-value=0.0194<5%) effect on financial resilience (bank z-score) of quoted banks in Nigeria.Hence, the paper concludes that, high lending rate and interest rate differential reduce financial resilience of quoted Nigerian banks. As such, the study submits that, the apex banks must ensure that, the rising lending rate should be discouraged. This if not cautioned; it has the capacity to reduce the productive capacity of the private sector. Again, to encourage more depositors to invest their depositors’ funds, the ape banks should raise the deposit rate. Lastly, the Nigerian banks are adjourning to keep their interest rate differentials relatively low.
 Keywords: Analysis, Interest Rate Spread, Deposit Rate, Lending Rate, And Interest Rate Differential, Financial Resilience Quoted Banks.