Zenith Bank Plc has recorded a remarkable financial performance in the first half of 2025, posting a pre-tax profit of N625.63 billion. The bank’s post-tax profit reached N532.18 billion for the period ended June 30, 2025, reflecting its strong financial resilience. The bank also declared an interim dividend of N1.25 per share, marking a 25% increase over the N1.00 dividend paid in H1 2024.
Zenith Bank’s gross earnings grew by an impressive 19.96%, reaching N2.521 trillion. This growth is driven by a significant increase in interest income, which now makes up 73% of the bank’s total earnings, compared to 55% in the same period last year. Interest income grew by 60% year-on-year (YoY) to N1.839 trillion, reflecting the bank’s robust revenue generation.
The bank’s solid performance can be attributed to its strategic focus on loans and advances, which saw a 55% YoY increase, amounting to N936 billion. Earnings from government securities, particularly treasury bills and bonds, also contributed significantly, rising by 72% YoY to N781.5 billion.
Zenith Bank’s net loans slightly decreased to N9.602 trillion from N9.965 trillion in December 2024. However, its total assets rose by 3.46% to N30.993 trillion, with customer deposits growing by 6.94% to N23.483 trillion. The bank’s balance sheet remains solid, driven by its strong deposit base, which accounts for 76% of its total assets.
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On the expense side, Zenith Bank’s interest expenses increased by 11% YoY to N485.53 billion. This growth is primarily driven by higher interest on deposits, which rose by 21%, reflecting the bank’s increased cost of funding. Despite this, the bank’s net interest income surged by 89% to N1.35 trillion, driven by a wide spread between interest income and expenses.
In addition to its interest income, Zenith Bank also saw a significant increase in non-interest income, primarily from fees and commissions. Account maintenance fees rose by 32% YoY to N43.224 billion, while foreign currency transaction fees surged by a remarkable 267% YoY, reaching N25.224 billion. However, gains on other trading books decreased by 45% to N482.223 billion in H1 2025.
Despite the strong performance, Zenith Bank experienced a rise in loan impairment charges, which more than doubled to N791.20 billion. These provisions account for more than half of the net interest income, which remains solid at N593.91 billion, up 98% from the previous year.
Zenith Bank’s shares have shown remarkable growth, closing at N66 per share on September 18, 2025, reflecting a 45.1% year-to-date gain. The bank has also surpassed the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) recapitalization requirements, with shareholders’ funds rising to N4.57 trillion, supported by a share capital and premium totaling N614.65 billion.
The bank has approved an interim dividend of N1.25 per share, which will be paid on October 10, 2025, to shareholders listed on the register as of October 3, 2025. This increase in dividend payout underscores Zenith Bank’s strong performance and its commitment to delivering value to its shareholders.
