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UBA Records Strong Double Digit Growth In Top and Bottom Lines, Declares N0.20k Interim Dividend

Published

4 years ago

September 9, 2022

Africa’s Global Bank, United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, has announced its audited financial results for the half year ended June 30, 2022, recording double-digit growth across key income lines as well as significant progress in the contribution from its subsidiaries.

At the end of the first two quarters of the year, the Bank was able to deliver a 12.6 per cent appreciation in profit before tax(PBT) to N85.7bn, up from N76.2bn recorded in the same period of 2021.

Despite numerous business, economic as well as geo-political environmental challenges including continued supply-chain interruptions due to Covid, the Russia and Ukraine conflict, and the resultant rise in prices of global commodities, that characterized the first six months of the year, the tier1 lender delivered impressive numbers, with gross earnings hitting N372.4bn, a solid 17.8 percent growth when compared with N316billion that was posted the same period in the prior year.

Operating income also grew by 20.1% to N256bn in the period, while the firm’s profit after tax closed the first half stronger at N70.3 billion, up by 16.1 percent compared to the N60.6 billion same period in 2021.

A further breakdown of the Bank’s half-year result, which was filed with the Nigerian Exchange Group(NGX), in the early hours on Thursday, September 8, showed total assets continued on an upward trajectory, increasing 5.4 percent to about N9 trillion.

The bank also delivered on its core mandate of extending loans to credit-worthy customers for the overall economic development, as loans and advances increased by 4 percent to N3trillion; while deposits rose by 7.9 percent to N7.6 trillion at the end of the period.

Shareholders’ funds however declined marginally by 2 percent to N788.5 billion, owing majorly to the decline in its foreign operations translation reserve as well as fair value losses suffered from the investment securities valuation occasioned by the increasing interest rate regime across the globe.

With the strong double-digit growth in profit after tax (PAT) vis-à-vis the marginal decline in shareholder’s fund, the Group’s return on equity (RoE) closed the period stronger at 17.7%, whilst return on assets (RoA) came to 1.6%, up by 9 basis points.

Reaffirming its commitment to shareholders and the investing public, the Board of Directors of UBA Plc declared an interim dividend of 20kobo per share for every ordinary share of N0.50 each held by its shareholders.

UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, while commenting on the result, said the stellar performance was in line with management’s expectation, adding that the Bank’s continued focus on its Customer 1st philosophy to pursue the mission of providing superior value to our stakeholders had increased low-cost customer deposits, and boosted the growth of its payment and transaction banking.

“The financial year 2022 showed initial signs of recovery of economies across the globe, despite continued COVID-induced supply-chain disruptions. However, geopolitical challenges including the Russia and Ukraine conflict, resulted in escalation of global commodity prices, particularly grains and crude oil, which have taken a toll on several economies. Notwithstanding these developments, our half-year numbers came out stronger than the prior year, with top and bottom-line reaching new record highs,” Alawuba said.

According to him, The Group’s profitability increased by 12.6% to N85.7 billion, with double-digit growth recorded across key income line. The Bank also recorded a decent 20% growth in net interest income as it continues to moderate cost of funds whilst improving yield on assets, thereby contributing to the strong 20% growth in operating income. “Our investments in state-of-the-art technology continue to yield expected results, evident in the huge boost of our digital banking income, which grew 22.7% year-on-year to N36.3 billion. These gains have enabled us to optimize net earnings amid the accelerating inflationary pressure, the currency devaluation, and increased regulatory-driven cost,” he said.

The GMD also noted that he is delighted at the strides made by the Bank in growing its market share across Africa. In his words, “Our retail business has continued to grow, as we ride on our agency banking network, trusted brand, competitive product offerings and quality service delivery to deepen our retail penetration,”

Alawuba who also commented on his recent appointment as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, alongside five other Group Executive Directors, assured the investing public of his relentless commitment to the growth of the business. “Together, with our highly motivated workforce, we are poised to usher the business into a new era of growth that will deliver superior values to all stakeholders,” he said.

UBA is a leading pan-African financial institution, offering banking services to more than thirty-seven million customers across 1,000 business offices and customer touch points in 20 African countries.

With presence in New York, London and Paris and now the UAE, UBA is connecting people and businesses across Africa through retail, commercial and corporate banking, innovative cross-border payments and remittances, trade finance and ancillary banking services.

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ZENITH BANK RENEWS COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN WITH EDUCATION, INCLUSION & OPPORTUNITY AT THE CORE

Published

5 days ago

May 26, 2026

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Much more than commemorating the annual Children’s Day marked every May 27, Zenith Bank Plc is championing the

narrativethatchildrenarethetrueleadersoftomorrow.TheBankhasdeepeneditsinvestmentincarefullycurated

initiativesthatelevatechildrenacrosseducation,financialliteracy,health,digitalinclusion,andsocialprotection,

building a generation equipped to thrive and lead. For Zenith Bank, every child matters, and the Bank’s footprint reflects

a deliberate, pan-African strategy to nurture potential from the earliest age.

Zenith Bank has been the financial institution partner to Kiddies Corner on Inspiration 92.3FM Lagos for over three

years, anchoring the Tuesday edition and Zenith Financial Literacy Friday show. The programme blends spelling bee

contestswithfinancialliteracyquestions,creatingawarenessandonboardingchildrenintotheZenithChildren’s

Account (ZECA). This partnership came alive at the Inspiration FM Children’s Day Carnival on Saturday, May 23, 2026,

whereZenithBankhostedover1,000childrenandtheirparents,celebratingZECAwinnerswithgames,skits,and

Zenith Bank branded gifts.

The Bank’s Zenith Financial Literacy Week, held quarterly, takes this mission into select schools across all 36 states

andtheFCT.Studentsaretrainedonsavings,budgeting,basicinvestments,anditsretailproducts,withthetop

performer in each school awarded N50,000. Complementing this is the Bank’s nationwide Financial Literacy Program

undertheCBN-mandatedGlobalMoneyWeek,whichin2025alonereached3,622studentsacross22LGAs,

deploying 137 bank employee volunteers as educators.

In alignment with the United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 4 on Quality Education, Zenith Bank

hasdonatedstate-of-the-artICTcentresandcomputersystemstoschoolsanduniversitiesnationwide,includinga

ComputerCentretoBamainaAcademy,Dutse,JigawaState.Itstransformativeinterventionsincludefullyequipped

libraries,vocationalfacilities,andlarge-scaleschoolrenovations,fromOjotaSecondarySchoolandVictoriaIsland

Secondary School in Lagos to Hugallawa Primary School in Jigawa. Targeted financial support further breaks barriers

with N1 million cash donation to Louisville Girls High School, Ijebu-Itele, supporting girl-child education; infrastructure

upgrades at Maryland Comprehensive Secondary School; a N1 million scholarship endowment for St. Francis Catholic

Secondary School; and support for the North-East Children’s Fund to aid education in conflict-affected communities.

Through its Primary Healthcare Centre Initiative across all 774 LGAs, Zenith Bank educates parents on early childhood

savings during routine visits, linking health and financial well-being. The “PAD-A-QUEEN” Initiative commemorates the

International Day of the Girl Child, reaching5,000 girls in 10 schools withsanitary pads, hygiene kits, and menstrual

health education to keep girls in school and promote SDGs 3, 4, and 5.

The Bank’s compassion extends to the most vulnerable. At Bethesda Home and School for the Blind, Idi Oro, Lagos,

Zenith donatedbraille materials,food, and toiletries.For the2026 InternationalDay forStreet Children,it partneredwith

Bosco Child Protection Centre on medical check-ups, food, clothing, and counseling. Annual Christmas Charity Visits to

orphanagesdelivercash,toys,andessentialsupplies,whilesupportfortheSmileandShineChildrenFoundation’s

Strive Conference empowers over 2,000 adolescents with life skills and leadership training.

Commenting on the Bank’s intentionality towards the development of children, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, Group

Managing Director/CEO, ZenithBank Plc, said, “AtZenith Bank, weare deliberate about initiativesthat elevate children

becausetheyarenotjustourfuture,theyareourpresentresponsibility.AsWhitneyHoustonsopoignantlysang,‘I

believethechildrenarethefuture,teachthemwellandletthemleadtheway.’Thatisthephilosophydrivingour

investmentsineducation,financialliteracy,health,anddigitalinclusion.FromKiddiesCornertoICTcentres,from

PHCs to orphanages, we are teaching them well, equipping them early, and giving them the tools to lead. Zenith Bank

renews its commitment to every Nigerian child, to nurture their dreams, protect their dignity, and secure their tomorrow.”

Championing youth expression, the Zenith Annual Youth Parade, hosted by the Bank for 19 years, stands as a flagship

Corporate Social Responsibilityinitiative. Bringing togetherthousands of childrenand teenagers in avibrant showcase

of unity and discipline, the parade has remained dedicated since inception to the vital mission of supporting, nurturing,
andempoweringtheNigerianchild,reinforcingtheBank’sbeliefthatleadershipislearnedearlythroughteamwork,

confidence, and celebration of young Nigerian identity.

ForZenithBank,Children’sDayismorethanadateonthecalendar.Itisadailypledgetoempower,protect,and

prepareNigeria’schildrenforleadership.Fromclassroomstocommunities, the Bank’s initiatives are teaching them well

and letting them lead the way because the future belongs to children who are equipped today.

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ZENITH BANK APPOINTS ENGR. MUSTAFA BELLO AS CHAIRMAN AT ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING

Published

4 weeks ago

May 6, 2026

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Zenith Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Engr. Mustafa Bello as the Chairman of its Board of

Directors.Theappointment,whichtakesimmediateeffect,hasbeenapprovedbytheCentralBankof

Nigeria (CBN) and ratified by shareholders at the Annual General Meeting held on May 5, 2026.

Engr.Bello’sappointmentrepresentsastrategicsteptoensurethecontinuity,stability,andsustained

effectivenessoftheBoard,whilereinforcingthehighstandardsofcorporategovernance,regulatory

compliance,andstrategicoversightforwhichZenithBankiswidelyrespected.HejoinedtheBoardof

Zenith Bank Plc on 29 December 2017 and has served on several Board committees, including the Board

Audit and Compliance Committee, Board Governance, Nomination and Renumeration Committee and as

Chairman of theBoard RiskManagementCommitteeuntilhisappointmentasChairmanof theBoardof

Directors.

He has extensive leadership experience at Board and executive levels, a strong understanding of corporate

governanceprinciplesandregulatoryexpectations,andaproventrackrecordinstrategicoversightand

organisationalgrowth.Hehasconsistentlydemonstratedintegrity,independenceandsoundjudgement,

qualities that distinguished him as the natural choice to lead the Board into its next chapter.

Engr. Mustafa Bello is a distinguished engineer, statesman and corporate leader. His career spans more

than four decades across the public and private sectors of the Nigerian economy. He served as Minister of

CommerceoftheFederalRepublicofNigeriafrom1999to2002underPresidentOlusegunObasanjo,

GCFR,whereheledthedevelopmentofNigeria’sWTO-consistentTradePolicy.Healsooversawthe

CorporateAffairsCommission(CAC)onlineprojectof2002,whichmodernisedthewaybusinesses

registerandoperateinthecountry.FromNovember2003toFebruary2014,heservedasExecutive

Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Investments Promotion Commission (NIPC), where

hewasinstrumentalinattractingforeigndirectinvestmentintoNigeria,buildingmultilateralandbilateral

partnerships, and representing the Federal Government at international conferences and missions.

HegraduatedfromAhmaduBelloUniversity(ABU),Zaria,in1978withaB.Engr.inCivilEngineering

(SecondClassUpperDivision),winningtheShellPrizeforthebestprojectandthesisintheFacultyof

Engineering.HebeganhiscareerwiththeNigerianArmy’sDirectorateofQuarteringandEngineering

Service from 1978 to 1979, before joining the Niger State Housing Corporation as a Senior Civil Engineer

from 1980 to 1983.

HeiscurrentlytheChairmanofInvest-in-NorthernNigeriaLimited,aspecialpurposevehicleforthe

economic and social transformation of the Northern Nigerian economy, and has previously served on the

boards of Eskom Holdings Limited of the Republic of South Africa (2004 to 2008) and FrieslandCampina

WAMCO Nigeria Plc as an Independent Non-Executive Director. He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Society of

Engineers and a Registered Member of Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN) as

well as Fellow of the Academy of Natural Sciences & Engineering in Nigeria (ANSEN).

Zenith Bank stands among Africa’s leading financial institutions, with a strong capital base and operations

acrossNigeria,theUnitedKingdom,theUnitedArabEmirates,Ghana,SierraLeone,TheGambiaand

Côte d’Ivoire.

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ZENITH BANK EXPANDS FOOTPRINT WITH CÔTE D’IVOIRE SUBSIDIARY LAUNCH

Published

1 month ago

April 29, 2026

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Zenith Bank Plc has announced the opening of its Côte d’Ivoire subsidiary, marking a pivotal achievement in the Group’s Pan-African expansion strategy.The official opening ceremony, scheduled to hold on Wednesday, April 29, 2026, is expected to attract senior government officials and regulators from Nigeria and Côte d’Ivoire, continental business leaders, and members of the diplomatic community, highlighting the strategic economic ties and investment opportunities between the two markets.The new subsidiary, licensed in December 2025 by the Ministry of Finance and Budget, Republic of Côte d’Ivoire, and regulated by the UMOA Banking Commission, will commence operations from its headquarters at SCI Wall Street, Avenue Noguès, Plateau, Abidjan.The launch represents a strategic move to deepen the Bank’s presence in Francophone West Africa and strengthen financial intermediation within the West African Economic and Monetary Union (WAEMU). Positioned as a gateway for cross-border trade and investment, Zenith Bank Côte d’Ivoire will focus on corporate banking, trade finance, local and offshore banking services, and structured financial solutions tailored to businesses operating across Africa and internationally.Commenting on the launch, the Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, said: “From the very beginning, our Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia CFR, set out to build a truly global brand with a strong presence across Africa and key international markets. The launch of Zenith Bank Côte d’Ivoire is a bold step in realising that vision; opening a strategic corridor into Francophone West Africa and reinforcing our commitment to facilitating trade, investment, and enterprise growth across the continent. As we continue to expand thoughtfully and strategically, we remain focused on delivering world-class banking solutions that connect African businesses to global opportunities.”The new subsidiary will be headed by MD/CEO Mr. Cédric Tano, a seasoned banking executive with over two decades of experience. Speaking ahead of the official opening, he said “We are proud to establish Zenith Bank’s presence in Côte d’Ivoire at a time of strong economic growth in the country and increasing regional integration. Our focus is to showcase the Zenith brand as a customer-centric institution that combines global best practices with deep local insight. We are well positioned to support businesses with innovative financing solutions, facilitate cross-border trade, and contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Ivorian economy and the wider WAEMU region.”The Côte d’Ivoire launch forms part of Zenith Bank’s broader continental growth strategy. In addition to the Anglophone countries where it currently operates, and in line with the expansion into the Francophone market, the Bank has commenced its entry process into the CEMAC (Central African Economic and Monetary Community) region, with Cameroon as the focal point. With a footprint already spanning Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone, The Gambia, the United Kingdom, France, the UAE, and China, Zenith Bank continues to bridge African markets with global opportunities, enabling seamless trade and financial connectivity across the continent and beyond.

Founded in 1990, Zenith Bank has grown into one of Africa’s most respected banking institutions, boasting a robust capital base and a consistent track record of strong financial performance. For 16 consecutive years, the Bank has held the record of highest Tier-1 capital in the Nigerian banking industry. Built on the foundation of People, Technology, and Service, Zenith Bank continues to deliver innovative financial solutions while maintaining a disciplined approach to growth and risk management. Its performance has earned it numerous local and international recognitions and endorsements.

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