Sixty-five years after independence, Nigeria’s banking sector boasts towering profits and continental reach. Yet behind the glossy numbers lies a sobering truth: banks remain disconnected from the real economy, leaving farmers, small businesses, and entrepreneurs stranded. As the nation marks another anniversary, the call for a true banking revolution has never been louder. Promise and DisappointmentAt 65, Nigeria stands at a watershed moment, torn between the promise of independence and the reality of underachievement. At 65, the real measure of independence is whether finance fuels factories, farms, and families or just balance sheets.