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Excitements IN SHAREHOLDERS’ CAMP AS FIRSTBANK SHEDS NPL BURDEN

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With a significant cut in its impairment charges (which translates into a clean loan book) in its 1Q, 2022 results, after it successfully brought down its non-performing loan to 6.1 per cent in 2021 full year performance, analysts say the repeat of the impressive performance of FirstBank in the first quarter did not only show the consistency in its rebound, but that it demonstrated the fact that the recovery is real. For the shareholders of the Nigerian banking behemoth, First Bank of Nigeria Limited, it is a season of celebration and a period to shower praises on the board and management of the bank for successfully working its way back into reckoning, after a long period of operational challenges mostly blamed on rising cases of non-performing loans.The shareholders, who joined other stakeholders of the bank and its parent company, FBN Holdings Plc., in appraising its first-quarter 2022 results made public last week, said it is a great relief that the organisation has put the issue of non-performing loans behind it.According to them, the outstanding results for the bank’s full-year 2021 is an appetiser to the first-quarter 2022 results and that the repeat of impressive results for the first quarter did not only show the consistency of its restructuring but that it demonstrated the fact that the recovery is real.SHAREHOLDERS’ ENDORSEMENTThe founder and pioneer National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association, Sunny Nwosu, in an interview with THISDAY, at the weekend, said the management of FirstBank deserves praise for working the bank back to profitability and clean loan book.He believes the ability of the FBNHoldings, the parent company, to significantly cut the exposure to non-performing loans to 6.1 percent showed that the bank has shut the door against future delinquent debtors, a development he said will consolidate the bank.Nwosu said many of the shareholders were pleasantly surprised first, by the performance in the 2021 full results, saying the first quarter 2022 results came as a confirmation of the readiness of the bank to take its leadership position in the nation’s banking industry.“Considering all the provisions they had made in the past two years and for them to have come out clean shows it is not a bad result and for them to have agreed to pay 35 kobo dividend to shareholders, it is encouraging because most shareholders did not know the company was going to pay anything, especially with all the challenges going on in the economy.“We are indeed excited that they have been able to bring down non-performing loans, which means they will have more money to do business with and I’m quite sure they will be more careful this time when it comes to giving out loans,” Nwosu stated.He maintained that FirstBank can still return to the leadership position in the Nigerian banking industry, saying the current leadership should keep an eye on the business and encourage the staff with a good incentive to compete in the industry.1Q 2022 RESULTSAnalysts said the bank has remained dazzling in virtually all its performance metrics, a development they attributed to the NPL improvements which restored investors’ confidence. And success with NPL means the quality of assets is bound to rise.An analysis of the bank performance gleaned from the group Q1, 2022 results showed that its exposure to bad loans has substantially reduced given the fact that the amount set aside as impairment charges has come down from N13.175 billion in the first quarter of 2021 to N8.75billion in 1Q 2022.In the period under review, First Bank of Nigeria Limited recorded gross earnings of N170.4 billion, up by 33 per cent as against N128.1billion in the previous year.  The bank’s net interest income was put at N72.9 billion, a 42.1 per cent from N51.3 billion generated in the same period of 2021, while non-interest income was N58.8 billion, up by 21.7 per cent from the 2021 figure.Profit After Tax for the first quarter of 2022 was N31billion, whereas N16.3 billion was the figure declared for 1Q, 2021. The bank declared total assets of N8.8 trillion, a 3.5 per cent rise from N8.5 trillion in the preceding year.To show the bank was in a serious business of lending, its customers’ loans and advances (net) totaled N2.999 trillion, up by 5.8 per cent, year-to-date as of December 2021, which was put at N2.835 trillion, while customers’ deposits were N5.9 trillion, as against N5.6 trillion in the first quarter of 2021, a 5.4 per cent increase.BUILDING CONFIDENCE IN OPERATIONAnalysts believed the recent turnaround and improvement in the Non-performing loans of First Bank of Nigeria Limited (FirstBank) have been a major boost in the bank’s quest to reinforce its leadership in the financial services industry in Nigeria.For instance, it has been observed that the current leadership of its Chief Executive Officer, Dr Adesola Adeduntan has been instrumental in building stakeholders’ confidence and trust in the bank’s financial viability with analysts left to ponder and perhaps, understudy the pace of such feat has been achieved. They said answers to these have been provided by the bank’s consistent improvements in its Non-performing Loans (NPL) ratio and position.For instance, by June 2020, when improvements were noted in the bank’s NPL ratio, the NPL ratio stood at 8.8 per cent. By March 2021, this figure had impressively dwindled to 7.9 per cent, and going by the 2021 results, the figure only stood at 6.1 per cent.Non-performing loans, or ‘NPLs’, are bank loans that are subject to late repayment or are unlikely to be repaid by the borrower. The inability of borrowers to pay back their loans was aggravated during the financial crisis and the subsequent recessions.For a bank that was almost brought to its knees by the burden of non-performing loans, it came as a great relief to both the shareholders and the regulatory authorities that for the first time in a long while, FirstBank’s NPLs came down to 6.1 per cent, a significant progress for the bank when compared to other Tier 1 banks and the regulatory threshold of 5.0 per cent.Analysts also attributed the significant fall in the NPL rates from 40 in 2016 to 6.5 per cent in 2021, to a new culture of corporate governance currently in place in the group and which has successfully revamped the company’s risk management capabilities.According to the bank, the recent turnaround and improvement in the non-performing loans have been a major boost in FirstBank’s quest to improve profitability and reinforce its leadership in the financial services industry in Nigeria.Analysts said with the impressive results for its 2021 operations, the board and management of FBN have proven to the investing community that the company is ready to take its leadership role in the nation’s banking sector and that the years of locusts have been put behind the institution.MAINTAINING FAIRLY MANAGEABLE NPL RATIOFor a sector already under pressure as a result of a sluggish economy, a challenging operating environment, and increased competitive intensity, the year 2022 came with a lot of fears for the Nigerian banking industry.As economic realities dawned on Nigerians, especially in a pre-election year, many investors struggled to get decently priced loans in Nigerian banks, and their plight is not helped when a bank is risk-averse because it already has lots of bad loans on its books.It is interesting to note that amidst the huge pressure placed on Nigerian banks by the prevailing sluggish economy, what the management of FirstBank did was diversify its loan books and maintained a fairly manageable Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio.This is because the percentage of non-performing loans in Nigeria reflects the health of the banking system. A higher percentage of such loans shows that banks have difficulty collecting interest and principal on their credits. That may lead to less profits for the banks in Nigeria and, possibly, bank closures.FirstBank recorded the highest NPL ratio in four years with 24.7 per cent in 2018 which dropped to 9.9 per cent, 7.7 per cent, 7.2 per cent in the period of 2019, 2020, and 6.1 per cent in the 2021 full-year results.ADEDUNTAN: ‘WE ARE READY TO IMPROVE BOTTOM LINE PERFORMANCE’Chief Executive Officer of FirstBank Group, Dr. Adesola Adeduntan, who expressed the determination of the bank to aim higher said, “At FirstBank, we have historically been interwoven with the fabric of this nation with a full-service commercial banking offering catering to every segment of the economy.“We believe we are now in a good position to translate this unique revenue generating potential into improved bottom-line performance.“Our first-quarter results demonstrate that we have commenced our journey of Quantum Profitability Leap in earnest with profit before tax doubling to N34.1 billion as the Bank begins to reap the dividends of the successful restructuring of its balance sheet, revamped risk management, robust technology, and innovative service offerings.“Our gross earnings are also up 33.0 per cent YoY to N170.4bn and Net Interest Income up 42.1 per cent YoY to N72.9bn. Furthermore, our strengthened risk management capabilities equip us with the ability to mitigate any negative effect of headwinds that may materialise given current macroeconomic pressures.“Looking ahead, we will continue to maximise all opportunities presented by our large network, and support our customers with innovative value-adding solutions through these uncertain times while investing in strengthening our digital banking offerings to deliver a better customer experience.”

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GTCO Plc Becomes the 1st Financial Services Institution in West Africa to Achieve Listing and Trading of its Ordinary Shares on the London Stock Exchange

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 Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO Plc), Africa’s leading and most profitable Financial Services Group, has recorded a significant milestone in its growth and expansion journey with the successful admission of its Ordinary Shares to the Equity Shares (International Commercial Companies Secondary Listing) category of the Official List of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and to trading on the main market for listed securities of the London Stock Exchange.

This historic achievement makes GTCO Plc, the 1stFinancial Services Institution in West Africa to dual list its Ordinary Shares on both the Nigerian and London stock exchanges, and subject to certain criteria, it is expected that the Shares will be transferrable between the two exchanges.

The admission follows the successful pricing of its fully marketed offering (The Offering) on the London Stock Exchange to raise gross proceeds of $105million in exchange for 2.29 billion of new ordinary shares in the company, which was supported by a strong book of high-quality, long-term institutional investors.

Concurrent with the Offering, the Company also gave notice of its intention to cancel the listing of its existing GDRs on the certificates representing certain securities (depositary receipts) category of the Official List of the United Kingdom Financial Conduct Authority (“FCA”) and the admission to trading of GDRs on the London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities.

Building on the momentum of the successful first tranche of its equity capital raise programme in July 2024, which secured ₦209 billion, GTCO will deploy the proceeds from the Offering to strengthen its capital base, meet its recapitalization target, and fund strategic expansion across high-growth markets and priority sectors within and outside Nigeria.

It is expected that Admission and unconditional dealing in the Shares will become effective on or before 8.00 a.m. (UK time) on 9 July 2025 under the ticker “GTHC”. Following the cancellation of the GDRs listing, the Company intends to change the ticker symbol for the Shares from “GTHC” to “GTCO” and will issue a separate announcement in due course to that effect.

Commenting on the LSE Listing, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Today marks a major milestone—not just for GTCO, but for the future we see for African financial institutions on the global stage. We are incredibly proud to be the 1stFinancial Services Institution in West Africa to list our ordinary shares on London Stock Exchange’s main market for listed securities, and even more honored by the trust placed in us by the investing community. For us, this was not just about raising capital. It was about validating the strength of our franchise, the clarity of our strategy, and the discipline with which we execute.”

He further said; “I would like to thank everyone who made this possible—our advisors and legal teams, our longstanding shareholders, the regulators both in Nigeria and in the UK, as well as the Nigerian government for creating an environment that supports our bold ambition and vision to be Africa’s leading financial services institution.”

GTCO’s fully marketed offering attracted long-term institutional capital, reflecting investor confidence in the Group’s fundamentals, governance, and strategic outlook. It also signals improving market sentiment, buoyed by ongoing economic reforms by the Federal Government and a return to traditional orthodox monetary policy by the Central Bank of Nigeria, which have gone a long way to stabilising the macroeconomic environment and gradually restoring investor confidence in Nigeria’s long-term prospects.

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ZENITH BANK RETAINS TOP SPOT AS NUMBER ONE BANK IN NIGERIA BY TIER-1 CAPITAL FOR THE SIXTEENTH CONSECUTIVE YEAR IN THE 2025 TOP 1000 WORLD BANKS’ RANKING

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  • Zenith Bank Plc has retained its position as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for
    the sixteenth consecutive year, in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks’ Rankings, published by The
    Banker,FinancialTimesGroup,UnitedKingdom.ThisrankingplacesZenithBankPlcasthe
    581st Bank globally, with a Tier-1 Capital of $2 billion.
    The global rankings, published inthe July 2025 edition of TheBanker, was based on the 2024
    year-end Tier-1capital ofbanks. Thisis theprimary basisformost internationalorganizations’
    assessments of banks.
    Commenting on this achievement, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame
    (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, said, “We are thrilled to have retained our position yet again as the
    Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital for the 16th consecutive year. This achievement is
    a reflection of the bank’s robust financial performance, prudent risk management and steadfast
    dedication to delivering exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders”. She thanked the
    Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his visionary and transformative leadership which has
    playedapivotalroleincultivatingaresilientandthrivinginstitution.Shealsoexpressedher
    deepest appreciation to the bank’s esteemed customers for their continued loyalty to the Zenith
    brand, the Board for the sound corporate governance, and the staff for their relentless & tireless
    efforts in ensuring the bank’s success.
    Tier-1 Capital describes capital adequacy, the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a
    regulator’sperspective.Accordingtotheranking,Tier-1Capital,asdefinedbytheBankfor
    International Settlements(BIS) guidelines,includes loss-absorbingcapital, i.e.,common stock,
    disclosed reserves, retained earnings, and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are
    less than whollyowned. A strongTier-1 capital ratio boostsinvestor and depositorconfidence,
    indicating the Bank is well-capitalised and financially stable.
    Accordingtotheaudited financialresultsforthe2024financialyearpresented totheNigerian
    Exchange (NGX), the Bank recorded a double-digit growth of 86% in gross earnings, increasing
    from N2.13 trillion in 2023 to N3.97 trillion in 2024. This growth was driven by a 138% increase in
    interest income, supported by investment in high-yield government securities, and growth in the
    Bank’s loan book. Zenith Bank’s profit before tax (PBT) rose by 67%, reaching N1.3 trillion in 2024
    from N796 billion in 2023. This performance saw the bank record an unprecedented total dividend
    payout of N195.67 billion at N5.00 per ordinary share in the 2024 financial year.
    Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous
    awards including being recognised as the 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 being listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in
    2023.
    Further recognitions include Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria for four consecutive years from 2021
    to2024intheWorldFinanceBankingAwardsandMostSustainableBank,Nigeriainthe
    InternationalBanker2023and2024BankingAwards.Additionally,ZenithBankwas
    acknowledged as the Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria, in the World Finance Corporate
    Governance Awards from 2022 to 2024 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 Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands for 2020 and 2021, Bank of the Year
    2023 and 2024 at the BusinessDayBanks 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.TheBankalsoreceivedtheaccoladesofBestCommercialBank,NigeriaandBest
    Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria, in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.
    ZenithBankwasalsonamedMostResponsibleOrganisationinAfrica,BestCompanyin
    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
    theYear2024byNewTelegraphNewspaper;andBestinMSMETradeFinance,2023by
    Nairametrics. The Bank’s Hybrid Offer was also adjudged ‘Rights Issue/ Public Offer of the Year’
    at the Nairametrics Capital Market Choice Awards 2025
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Body of Bank CEOs Delivers Critical Relief to Flood Victims in Niger State, Pledges Continued Support

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Pix 1 L-R: Registrar & Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) Akin Morakinyo; Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Hassan Imam; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji; The Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago; Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs and Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba; Managing Director Taj Bank Mr. Hamid Joda; and Secretary to the Government of Niger State (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman during the donation of relief materials from the Body of Bank CEOs in Nigeria, aimed at supporting victims of the recent devastating floods in Mokwa Local Government Area held at the Niger State House in Abuja at the weekend.

The Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago; Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs and Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba during the donation of relief materials from the Body of Bank CEOs in Nigeria, aimed at supporting victims of the recent devastating floods in Mokwa Local Government Area held at the Niger State House in Abuja at the weekend

Pix 3: L-R: Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Hassan Imam; Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji; The Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago; Chairman, Body of Bank CEOs and Group Managing Director/CEO, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, Oliver Alawuba; and Managing Director Taj Bank Mr. Hamid Joda, during the donation of relief materials from the Body of Bank CEOs in Nigeria, aimed at supporting victims of the recent devastating floods in Mokwa Local Government Area held at the Niger State House in Abuja at the weekend.

In a heartwarming display of corporate social responsibility and solidarity, a consortium of Nigerian Bank CEOs, has pledged significant support to alleviate the suffering of flood victims in Niger State

The Executive Governor of Niger State, His Excellency, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago on Saturday in Abuja received relief materials from the Body of Bank CEOs led by its Chairman, Mr Oliver Alawuba.

The gesture is aimed at supporting victims of the recent devastating floods in Mokwa Local Government Area of the state.

Oliver Alawuba who is also the Group Managing Director/CEO of United Bank for Africa(UBA), led the delegation to the Niger State Government house Abuja, where they presented essential relief items, including bags of rice, beverages, vegetable oil, and mattresses, valued at millions of naira.

The devastating floods, which have affected thousands of families in the region, have prompted the banking community to come together in a show of empathy and support to those displaced and affected by the disaster.

In his address, Alawuba expressed the banking industry’s deep sympathy for the affected communities and reaffirmed their dedication to sustainable support while pointing out that the gesture underscores the banking sector’s commitment to corporate social responsibility and humanitarian intervention especially in times of crisis.

He said, “Today, we stand with the people of Niger State in their time of need. We want you to know that we feel your pain and we give you our firm resolve to assist in rebuilding lives. This donation is just the beginning; we pledge continued collaboration with the Niger State Government to ensure long-term recovery and resilience.”

Other top CEOs and executives at the presentation included by the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive of Zenith Bank, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, the Registrar and Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mr. Akin Morakinyo, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Hassan Imam; Managing Director Taj Bank Mr. Hamid Joda; Secretary to the Government of Niger State (SSG), Alhaji Abubakar Usman senior government officials, banking executives, and media representatives, marking a significant step in public-private collaboration for humanitarian relief.

Governor Bago, who received the relief materials on behalf of the state, commending the banking sector for its timely intervention.

“This gesture reinforces the critical role of private-sector partnerships in disaster response,” Governor Bago stated. “We are grateful for this support and look forward to deeper collaboration in safeguarding our communities against future challenges. On behalf of the good people of Niger State, particularly the affected families in Mokwa, I extend our sincerest thanks for this timely and compassionate intervention,” Bago stated.

“The recent floods in the state brought immense hardship to the people, displacing families, destroying livelihoods, and disrupting communities and the banking sector, under the leadership of Alawuba and his esteemed colleagues, has demonstrated that beyond financial stewardship, they are true partners in national development and humanitarian service.

This donation is not just about the physical items; it is a symbol of hope, resilience, and the unwavering support of Nigeria’s financial institutions in times of need. It reassures our people that they are not forgotten, the governor stated.

 

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