Zenith Bank Posts ₦2.5 Trillion Gross Earnings in H1 2025

Zenith Bank Plc has delivered a strong first-half performance for 2025, posting gross earnings of ₦2.5 trillion, a 20% year-on-year rise. The bank also approved an increased interim dividend of ₦1.25 per share, up from ₦1.00 in the same period last year.

The financials, released following the bank’s submission to the Nigerian Exchange, show that profit before tax reached ₦625.63 billion, while profit after tax stood at ₦532 billion. Earnings per share came in at ₦12.95.

What Drove the Growth

A large part of Zenith’s growth came from its interest-earning operations. Interest income jumped by about 60%, rising from ₦1.1 trillion in H1 2024 to ₦1.8 trillion in H1 2025. Net interest income—what the bank earns after paying what it owes to depositors—nearly doubled, reaching approximately ₦1.4 trillion.

Non-interest revenue, which includes fees, commissions, and other trading and investment gains, also made a solid contribution of about ₦613 billion, helping to cushion the bank during difficult economic times.

Zenith’s balance sheet also showed improvement. Total assets increased modestly to ₦31 trillion, up from ₦30 trillion at the end of 2024. Customer deposits rose roughly 7%, bringing total deposits to ₦23 trillion. Meanwhile, the loan book declined to around ₦10.2 trillion, reflecting a cautious lending posture in a risk-sensitive environment.

On the asset quality front, non-performing loans dropped from 4.7% to about 3.1%, signaling better risk management. The bank maintained strong capital adequacy at 26% and a liquidity ratio near 69%, both well above regulatory thresholds. Returns metrics also remained robust, with Return on Average Equity (ROAE) at 24.8% and Return on Average Assets (ROAA) around 3.5%.

What It Means & What’s Next

The interim dividend, increased by 25%, reflects confidence by the management that the bank can sustain its performance. Shareholders have been rewarded, and the Board has signaled that this strong momentum may carry through into the second half of the year.

Zenith’s management noted the challenges in the banking sector—particularly from regulatory policy shifts and inflationary pressures—but believes the bank’s strategy around repricing risk assets, tightening credit standards, and improving sources of non-interest revenue will keep growth on track.

Looking ahead, the bank expects to lean more on digital innovation and operational efficiency, aiming to maintain high asset quality and build on its deposit base. The decline in the loan book suggests a conservative approach, likely to continue until macroeconomic conditions become more predictable.

For many investors and banking sector watchers, Zenith’s performance is a sign of resilience. In an economy with sharp currency fluctuations, rising input costs, and varying regulatory demands, delivering 20% growth in gross earnings, improving asset quality, and increasing dividends all suggest the bank is navigating the headwinds well.