Ecobank, whose official name is Ecobank Transnational Inc., reported a 298 percent declined in profit after tax for the third quarter ended September 30, 2020.
In the unaudited financial statements released through the Nigerian Stock Exchange, the leading lender’s profit after tax declined from N19.347 billion profit posted in the same quarter of 2019 to -N38.250 billion in the third quarter of 2020. Representing a decline of 298 percent.
Similarly, profit before tax dipped by 182 percent from N36.052 billion filed in the corresponding quarter to -N38.250 billion in the quarter under the review.
However, net interest income rose by 45 percent from N64.563 billion in 2019 to N93.621 billion in 2020. But the 163 percent plunged in other operating income from N77.939 billion in the third quarter of 2019 to -N4.505 billion in the quarter under review weighed on non-interest revenue by 1 percent to N77.229 billion.
Similarly, operating expenses rose by 12 percent to N106.321 billion, up from N94.526 billion. Net monetary loss arising from hyperinflationary economy rose from zero in the third quarter of 2019 to N8.817 billion in Q3 2020 with Goodwill impairment hitting N60.584 billion from zero in the corresponding quarter of 2019.
This, coupled with N8.762 billion tax dragged profit before tax to -N29.635 billion in the third quarter.