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Nigeria must focus on youths to drive inclusive economic growth- Stanbic IBTC
Stanbic IBTC Holdings Chief Executive, Dr. Demola Sogunle, stated in a recent interview that at Stanbic IBTC, we consider infrastructure development as a key driver of economic growth and development. This is one of the reasons behind the launch of the Stanbic IBTC N100 billion Infrastructure Fund. We aim to deploy proceeds of the fund for the development of infrastructure in critical sectors to boost economic activities in those areas. Some of the identified areas are transportation, education, and health. I’d like to quickly chip in that education and health are key CSI pillars for us at Stanbic IBTC. We launched Series One, the first tranche of the Infrastructure Fund, and the result has been positive as it has been widely accepted. Our strategy in using the Series One as a vehicle to attract investments from domestic institutional investors has been successful. We also saw a good turnout from insurance companies and high networth individuals. They bought into the story and vision of trying to invest their funds in the Infrastructure Fund, which can be categorised as an alternative asset plan.
Steps to secure Nigeria’s future
It is well known that the future of any country lies in the youth. It is therefore very important to prioritise their education because the kinds of decisions and actions they take will be dependent on their level of knowledge. It is also very important to focus on their health. As a country, we also need to deploy resources towards reducing the level of unemployment.
The average Nigerian youth exudes so much energy and we have seen this play out in the occurrences in the last 12 months. We are witnesses to the innovativeness and the creativity of the Nigerian youth. We have developed three unicorns driven primarily by young Nigerians. The Nigerian youth is energetic, creative, innovative. By focusing on them, we will be able to secure our future.
Secondly, we need to look at the enablers of economic development and inclusion, because there is no point having economic growth that is not inclusive. The youths are very important to ensure inclusiveness within the context of our economic growth.
Expectations from NESG
There is the need to take urgent actions. People are more desi People are desirous of fulfilled promises and a thriving economy. We need to execute the initiatives which are geared towards economic development and improving the lives of the populace. There should be a proper alignment and proper coherence between the public and private sectors. One of the key outcomes of the 2021 NESG summit for me is the resolve by various stakeholders to execute tasks with speed with the aim of achieving positive results. This is fundamental so that when we come back next year, we can itemise the recommendations and implementation and possibly measure results. It is important for the public and private sectors to come to a point where execution is accorded priority in summits such as the NESG.
How does Stanbic IBTC drive Nigeria’s growth
Between 2015 and now, Stanbic IBTC has facilitated over 35 billion dollars’ worth of capital inflows into the country. Despite the advent of Covid-19 and the negative impact of the economy, we have attracted almost 0.8 billion dollars of foreign portfolio investment this year alone. This is evident of Stanbic IBTC’s ability to facilitate foreign capital inflow despite economic headwinds.
We are funding and making sure that savings of retirees are well managed, and payments made monthly to ensure that they continue to enjoy the fruits of their labour. We achieve this with our pension subsidiary, Stanbic IBTC Pension Managers, which is Nigeria’s biggest pension fund administrator by number of customers and assets under management.
One of our mantras as an organisation is that “Nigeria is our home, we drive our growth”. This is beyond a tagline. You can say that it is in our DNA to give back to the communities where we operate and Nigeria as a whole. The Stanbic IBTC Infrastructure Fund was also launched on the back of that mantra. We have already committed a certain percentage towards the development of critical infrastructure. Besides, it is also a key governance requirement.
We are doing a lot in the health care sector as well. Over the weekend, we commissioned a teaching hospital at the Baze University. This will be the largest private teaching hospital in the South of the Sahara. It measures about 10,000 square meters and we are funding it. We are intervening in public healthcare sectors and education because, as I mentioned earlier, they represent the pillars of our social initiatives as a responsible corporate entity. Our interventionist activities include giving scholarships, donation of learning materials, building educational structures, and even resuscitating dilapidated structures. We are also involved in extra-curricular activities such as sponsoring football competitions among students of tertiary institutions. We aim to develop the knowledge of our youths and even help some of them develop their talents and skill sets, which may hitherto be hidden. We train youths interested in Artificial Intelligence, programming, coding, data analytics, data science and we also pay for them to be certified.
We are doing a lot on economic empowerment. In the last 12 months, we have increased our portfolio for SMEs. The percentage increase is more than 300% and we are just starting. We will continue to do even more
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ZENITH BANK’S GROSS EARNINGS SURGE 16% TO N3.4TN, AS PBT HITS N917.4BN IN Q3 2025
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Zenith Bank Plc has released its unaudited financial results for the nine months ended 30 September 2025, with a remarkable 16% year-on-year growth in gross earnings from N2.9 trillion recorded in Q3 2024 to N3.4 trillion in Q3 2025. The Group’s performance continues to demonstrate resilience, strong momentum, disciplined execution and an ability to deliver long-term shareholder value in spite of challenging macroeconomic environment.According to the financial results presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), the growth in gross earnings was driven by a sustained growth in interest income which grew by 41% year-on-year to N2.7 trillion. The growth in interest income was supported by a high-yield rate environment and an expansion in the Bank’s investment portfolio. Despite the increase in interest expense by 22% to N814 billion on the back of a tightening monetary cycle and a growth in the Bank’s funding base, the Bank was able to achieve a healthy Net Interest Margin (NIM) of 12% as against 10% in September 2024. Non-interest income declined by 38% to N535 billion, underpinned by a 60% decline in trading gains.Profitability remained strong, with profit before tax at N917 billion as against N1.00 trillion reported in September 2024. Profit after tax also declined by 8% to N764 billion and Earnings Per Share (EPS) came in at N18.60 as against N26.34 in September 2024, as the Bank took bold measures to improve the quality of its loan portfolio.The Bank’s total assets grew by 4% from N30 trillion in December 2024 to N31 trillion as at September 2025. This was largely supported by customer deposits, which rose by 8% to N23.7 trillion within the same period. Gross loans declined by 9% to N10 trillion as at September 2025, while Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio improved to 3% due to the write-off of non-performing loans.Return on Average Equity (ROAE) and Return on Average Assets (ROAA) stood at 23.3% and 3.3% respectively. Cost of funds increased to 4.5%, underscored by the broader elevated interest rate environment. The Group’s cost of risk stood at 10% while cost-to-income ratio rose to 45%.Coverage ratio and liquidity ratio remain solid and well within regulatory limits at 211.1% and 53% respectively. This highlights the Bank’s strong capital position and liquidity profile as well as its ability to fund strategic growth opportunities. It also reflects its unwavering commitment to a prudent risk management, compliance and corporate governance culture. Commenting on the results, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, said: “the Bank’s robust performance is an attestation to the resilience of the Zenith brand, result-driven strategy, and the adaptability of our people in an evolving operating environment. We have fortified our capital base, reset our asset quality, and are well positioned for sustainable and profitable growth”.Looking to Q4 2025, Dame Dr. Umeoji reinforced her optimistic outlook: “This result confirms the resilience of both our business model and our people. We’re on a solid growth path that we expect to maintain through the remainder of the year. Our focus on innovation, digital transformation, and developing solutions that address our clients’ changing needs positions us to capitalise on emerging .
opportunities whilst maintaining our disciplined approach to growth.” She assured shareholders that the robust performance, combined with improved asset quality and the Bank’s strong capital base, positions Zenith Bank to deliver exceptional returns with expectations of sustained value creation. “We’re well placed to sustain this momentum whilst maintaining responsible leadership in the Nigerian banking industry and delivering exceptional value to all our stakeholders.”The 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 led to Zenith being also 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 to 2025 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 2024 to 2025. 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, 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.Zenith Bank has also bagged several non-financial awards including, 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.
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Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (“GTCO” or “the Group”) has released its Unaudited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements as of September 30, 2025, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE)
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The Group posted profit before tax of ₦900.8billion on the back of strong performance on the core earnings lines of interest income and fee income which grew y-o-y by 25.6% and 16.8% respectively. The strong core-earning performance continued to narrow the y-o-y dip in PBT to 26%, thereby cushioning the impact of the ₦523.2bn fair value gains recognised in Q3-2024, which did not recur in Q3-2025.
The Group recorded growths across all its Asset lines and continues to maintain a well-structured, healthy liquid and diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates a Banking franchise, as well as across its Payments, Pension and Funds Management business verticals.
Group’s total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at ₦16.7trillion and ₦3.3trillion, respectively. Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 36.5%, likewise asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.3% and 4.4% % at Bank and Group level in Q3-2025 (Bank 3.5%, Group 5.2% in December 2024). Cost of Risk (COR) also improved to 2.2% from 4.9% in December 2024. In specific terms, the Group’s loan book (net) grew by 16.5% from ₦2.79trillion as of December 2024 to ₦3.24trillion in September 2025. Similarly, deposit liabilities grew by 16.0% from ₦10.40trillion to ₦12.06trillion during the same period.
Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, Mr. Segun Agbaje, said: “Our third quarter performance underscores the consistency and resilience of our business model, as well as the continued strength of our diversified financial services ecosystem. We are seeing steady, sustainable growth across our banking and non-banking businesses, supported by disciplined execution and a strong focus on operational efficiency. The improvements we have made to our digital and payments infrastructure are enhancing customer experience, deepening engagement, and driving greater integration across our ecosystem.”
He further stated: “Looking ahead, our focus remains on advancing our competitive edge through innovation, operational excellence, and a commitment to superior customer outcomes. With a clear growth trajectory and strong organizational alignment, we are well-positioned to sustain performance momentum and deliver another year of industry-leading results.”
Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services Industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Pre-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 39.5%, Pre-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 7.6%, Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 36.5% and Cost to Income ratio of 28.8%.
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, GTCO Plc provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. The Group is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets
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Access Holdings Reports 2.5 Trillion Gross Earnings in H1 2025
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Access Holdings Plc (“the Group” or “the Company”) today announced its half-year audited financial results for the period ended June 30, 2025.The Group’s financial results for the half year ended June 30, 2025, reflect the resilience of our business model, the diversification of our revenue streams, and the steady progress to the execution of our five-year strategic plan. Gross earnings increased by 13.8% year-on-year to 2.5 trillion in H1 2025 from 2.2₦ ₦ trillion in H1 2024, driven by strong growth in interest income which increased by 38.9% year-on-year to 2.0 trillion from 1.5 billion in H1 2024. Net interest income also increased by 91.8% year-on-year to 984.6 billion in H1 2025 from 513.4 billion in H1 2024. Complementing this performance was a growth in net fees and commission income, which increased by 16.1% year-on-year to 237.7billion in H1 2025 from 204.7 billion in H1 2024. Profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) closed at 320.6 billion and 215.9 billion respectively underscoring the strength and resilience of our business model in the markets we operate in. Key balance sheet indicators remain strong with total assets, customer deposits, loans and advances, and shareholders’ equity closing at 42.4 trillion, 22.9 trillion, 13.2 trillion 3.8 trillion respectively. The Banking group demonstrated resilient performance in H1 2025. Interest income grew by 38.7% year-on-year to 2.0 trillion in H1 2025 from 1.5 trillion in H1 2024. Net interest income increased by 85%, from 536.7 billion in H1 2024 to 992.7 billion in H1 2025. Fee and commission income increased by 27% to 294.9 in H1 2025 from 232.5 billion in H1 2024 driven by increased transaction volumes. Profit before tax (PBT) and profit after tax (PAT) closed at 303.0 billion and 199.3 billion respectively. Banking group subsidiaries contributed 65% to the Banking group’s profit before tax (PBT) in H1 2025. This result highlights our journey towards sustainable performance and execution across our key African and international markets. The Group’s non-banking subsidiaries maintained a strong growth momentum. For Access – ARM Pensions, financial performance was robust, with revenue up 29.9% to 21.0 billion and profit before tax up 65.1% to 13.1 billion. The business delivered a₦ ₦
www.accessbankplc.com solid ROAE of 48.1%, a cost-to-income ratio of 35.1%, and a PBT margin of 62.5%, underscoring strong operational efficiency and profitability. Hydrogen Payments recorded a 40.5% growth in top-line revenue compared to H1 2024. Profit before tax (PBT) grew by 273% year-on-year. The total transaction value processed increased by 211%, reaching 41.1 trillion in H1 2025, up from 13.8 trillion in H1 2024. Access Insurance Brokers has sustained strong momentum, recording a 125% year-on-year increase in gross written premium, 146% growth in revenue, and a 161% improvement in profit before tax (PBT). Oxygen X, the Group’s digital lending arm, has sustained strong momentum since launch in Q3 2024, delivering 5.4 billion in revenue and 2.2 billion in profit before tax in H1 2025. Access Holdings’ businesses are well-positioned to deepen market penetration, expand product offerings, and leverage cross-sell opportunities across the Group to drive continued growth and profitability. The group’s focus remains on driving prudent growth and continued execution of its strategic priorities, scaling its digital and transaction-led income streams, increasing revenue diversification, embedding efficiency, innovation, and disciplined portfolio management across all areas of the business. It will also continue to uphold the highest standards of risk and governance discipline to ensure sustainable profitability.Access Holdings remains confident that it will continue to deliver sustainable value and returns to its shareholders. Its long-term objective is to build a stronger, more agile Group that consistently delivers superior returns, fosters innovation-driven growth, and optimises portfolio performance to create inclusive value across its markets while reaffirming investor confidence in the strength and future of Access Holdings. The Group appreciates the continued trust and support of its shareholders, customers, and employees. Together, the Group is building a stronger future.
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