ZENITH BANK’S GROSS EARNINGS HIT N2.5 TRILLION, FETES SHAREHOLDERS WITH AN INTERIM DIVIDEND OF N1.25 IN H1 2025

Zenith Bank Plc has released its Group financial results for the half year ending June 2025,
posting an impressive profit before tax of N625.629 billion. Following this robust
performance, the Board has approved an interim dividend of N1.25 per share, a 25%
increase over the N1.00 paid in the first half of 2024, maintaining the Bank's position as a
leading dividend-paying Bank and reinforcing its longstanding commitment to rewarding its
esteemed shareholders.
The substantial dividend payout reflects exceptional underlying performance. Despite higher
provisioning requirements from the industry-wide exit of the CBN forbearance regime, the
Bank recorded a robust 20% year-on-year increase in gross earnings, rising from N2.1
trillion to N2.5 trillion in H1 2025. Interest income drove this performance with an impressive
60% growth, climbing from N1.1 trillion to N1.8 trillion. The Bank achieved this impressive
increase in interest income through strategic repricing of risk assets and effective treasury
management.
Commenting on the H1 2025 results, Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora
Umeoji, OON, 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 2025, 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 profit after tax reaching N532 billion and 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 2025.

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.
Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand
numerous awards including being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1
Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking,
published by The Banker and “Nigeria’s Best Bank” at the Euromoney Awards for
Excellence 2025. The Bank was also awarded Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s
Bank of the Year Awards for 2020, 2022 and 2024; Best Bank in Nigeria from 2020 to 2022,
2024 and 2025, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; Best Bank for Digital
Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023; and was listed in the World Finance
Top 100 Global Companies in 2023.
Further recognitions include Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria for five consecutive years from
2021 to 2025 in the World Finance Banking Awards and Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in
the International Banker 2023 and 2024 Banking Awards. Additionally, Zenith Bank has
been acknowledged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance
Corporate Governance Awards for four consecutive years from 2022 to 2025 and ‘Best in
Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa for four consecutive years from 2020 to
2023 by the Ethical Boardroom.
The Bank’s commitment to excellence saw it being named the Most Valuable Banking
Brand in Nigeria in The Banker’s Top 500 Banking Brands for 2020 and 2021, Bank of the
Year 2023 and 2024 at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI)
Awards, and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022 and in
2024 at the BAFI Awards. The Bank also received the accolades of Best Commercial Bank,
Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2022
Banking Awards.
Zenith Bank was also named Most Responsible Organisation in Africa, Best Company in
Transparency and Reporting and Best Company in Gender Equality and Women
Empowerment at the SERAS CSR Awards Africa 2024; Bank of the Year 2024 by ThisDay
Newspaper; Bank of the Year 2024 by New Telegraph Newspaper; and Best in MSME
Trade Finance, 2023 by Nairametrics. The Bank’s Hybrid Offer was also adjudged ‘Rights
Issue/ Public Offer of the Year’ at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards 2025.