*Declares N1.25 interim dividend
By Peter Egwuatu
Zenith Bank Plc has recorded a robust 20% Year onYear, YoY increase in gross earnings, rising to N2.5 trillion in the first half ending June 2025, H1’25 from N2.1 trillion recorded in the corresponding period 2024,H1’24.
The Bank posted an impressive Profit Before Tax, PBT and Profit After Tax, PAT of N625.629 billion and N532 billion for the period under review respectively.
Following the impressive performance, the Bank’s Board of Directors approved an interim dividend of N1.25 per share, a 25% increase over the N1.00 paid in the first half of 2024.
According to a statement from the Bank, the substantial dividend payout reflects exceptional underlying performance.
Commenting on the H1’25 results, Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, noted that Zenith Bank’s performance reaffirms the creativity and innovation of our unicorn workforce in a dynamic operating environment. “Despite the huge provisioning requirements as the industry exits the CBN forbearance regime, we’ve seen substantial improvement in our asset quality. Our balance sheet remains robust with adequate capital buffers, positioning us well to seize opportunities across our key markets,” she said.
Building on this strong foundation, the GMD/CEO indicated that the Bank expects to accelerate its growth trajectory in the second half of the year. She assured shareholders that the robust performance, combined with the improved asset quality, positions the Bank to deliver exceptional returns, with expectations of a quantum year-end dividend for 2025. “Our shareholders can look forward to continued value creation as we leverage emerging opportunities and maintain our strategic growth with strong corporate governance culture,” she noted, highlighting the Bank’s track record of improving dividend payments even during challenging periods.
Looking beyond H1’255, she reinforced her optimistic outlook: “We’re on a solid growth path that we expect to maintain through the rest of 2025 and into 2026. Our focus remains on innovation, digital transformation, and developing solutions that address our clients’ changing needs. With improving market conditions, we’re well placed to sustain this momentum whilst maintaining responsible leadership and delivering exceptional value to all our stakeholders.”
The Bank’s financial performance indicates strong fundamentals in a transitioning macroeconomic environment, with earnings per share standing at N12.95 for the period under review. Net interest income demonstrated exceptional growth, surging 90% year-on-year from N715 billion to an impressive N1.4 trillion, whilst non-interest income contributed N613 billion in H1’25.
The Bank’s total assets expanded to N31 trillion in June 2025, representing steady growth from N30 trillion in December 2024, underpinned by a robust and well-structured balance sheet. Customer confidence remained strong, with deposits growing by 7% from N22 trillion to N23 trillion in June 2025. The loan book stood at N10.2 trillion in June 2025 against N11 trillion in December 2024, reflecting the Bank’s prudent risk management approach.
The Bank delivered strong returns with ROAE at 24.8% and ROAA at 3.5% as at June 2025. The cost-to-income ratio stood at 48.2%, reflecting necessary provisioning for regulatory compliance and the impact of inflationary pressures. Asset quality improved significantly, with the NPL ratio dropping to 3.1% in June 2025 from 4.7% in December 2024. The Bank maintains a fortress balance sheet with capital adequacy at 26% and liquidity ratio at 69%, both comfortably exceeding regulatory requirements.
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