Zenith Bank Plc has emerged as a frontrunner among Nigerian banks as restricted deposits grew to N17.1 trillion.

This increase was propelled by Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) regulations and represents 72.7% growth from the N9.91 trillion recorded in the previous year.

The Central Bank of Nigeria, in its effort to regulate the country’s money supply and manage inflation levels, has maintained the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) at 32.5%.

The CRR mandates banks to retain a certain percentage of their customer deposits with the CBN, thereby restricting access to these funds for day-to-day operations.

Zenith Bank, along with nine other major banks including Access Holdings Plc, Guaranty Trust Holdings Company Plc (GTCO), and United Bank for Africa (UBA) Plc, witnessed a substantial increase in their restricted deposits.

This surge underscores the impact of regulatory measures on the banking sector’s liquidity and operational dynamics.

The CBN’s decision to uphold the CRR at 32.5% and subsequently increase it to 45.0% reflects its commitment to curbing inflationary pressures and maintaining financial stability. While these measures aim to regulate money supply and inflation, they also pose challenges for banks and shareholders.

A member of the CBN’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC), Aku Odinkemelu, emphasized the necessity of tightening monetary policy measures to address inflationary pressures effectively.

However, concerns linger regarding the adverse effects on borrowing costs for businesses and the banking sector’s profitability.

Philip Ikeazor, Director-General of Financial System Stability and MPC member, highlighted the pivotal role of complementary tools such as the CRR in taming inflation and managing liquidity.

Despite apprehensions from stakeholders, the CBN Governor, Mr. Olayemi Cardoso, reiterated the importance of assertive monetary policy measures to achieve the medium-term inflation target.

Zenith Bank’s noteworthy performance in managing restricted deposits underscores its resilience and strategic approach amidst regulatory challenges.

The bank’s 133.8% increase in mandatory reserve deposits with the CBN, reaching N3.9 trillion in 2023, demonstrates its ability to adapt to evolving market conditions.

Access Holdings, UBA, and other major banks also reported substantial growth in their restricted deposits, reflecting the broader impact of CBN policies on the banking sector’s liquidity and profitability.

Despite the surge in restricted deposits, concerns persist among shareholders regarding the profitability and operational constraints faced by banks.

Boniface Okezie, Chairman of the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), advocated for CBN to consider paying interest on mandatory funds collected from banks, thereby enhancing their earnings and supporting the real sector of the economy.

As Nigerian banks navigate the intricacies of regulatory requirements and market dynamics, Zenith Bank’s leadership in managing restricted deposits underscores its resilience and strategic acumen in an evolving financial landscape.

Zenith Bank Plc has announced its audited results for the year ended December 31, 2023, achieving a remarkable triple-digit growth of 125% in gross earnings from NGN945.6 billion reported in 2022 to NGN2.132 trillion in 2023.

According to the audited financial results for the 2023 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), this impressive triple-digit growth in gross earnings resulted in a Year-on-Year (YoY) increase of 180% in Profit Before Tax (PBT) from NGN284.7 billion in 2022 to NGN796 billion in 2023.

Profit After Tax (PAT) also recorded triple-digit growth of 202% from NGN223.9 billion to NGN676.9 billion in the period ended December 31, 2023.

The increase in gross earnings is primarily due to growth in interest and non-interest income. Interest income increased by 112% from NGN540 billion in 2022 to NGN1.1 trillion in 2023. Non-interest income grew by 141% from NGN381 billion to NGN918.9 billion in the same period.

The increase in interest income is attributed to the growth in the size of risk assets and their effective repricing, alongside the rise in the yield of other interest-bearing instruments over the year. Growth in non-interest income was driven by significant trading gains and an increase in gains from the revaluation of foreign currencies.

The cost of funds grew from 1.9% in 2022 to 3.0% in 2023 due to the high interest rate environment while interest expense increased by 135% from NGN173.5 billion in 2022 to NGN408.5 billion in 2023. Notwithstanding the 32% growth in operating expenses in 2023, the Group’s cost-to-income ratio improved significantly from 54.4% in 2022 to 36.1% in 2023 due to improved top-line performance.

Return on Average Equity (ROAE) increased by 118% from 16.8% in 2022 to 36.6% in 2023, underpinned by improved gross earnings, as the Group sought to deliver better shareholder returns. Return on Average Assets (ROAA) also grew by 95% from 2.1% to 4.1% in the same period.

The Group has continued to deepen its market leadership in key corporate and retail deposit segments as customer deposits increased by 69% from NGN9.0 trillion to NGN15.2 trillion in 2023.

Its retail drive continues to yield dividends as retail deposits now constitute 46% of total deposits (compared to 44% in 2022) and grew by 77% from NGN3.97 trillion in 2022 to NGN7.04 trillion in 2023, also reinforcing increased customer confidence in the Zenith brand.

Total assets increased by 66% from NGN12.3 trillion in 2022 to NGN20.4 trillion in 2023, largely due to growth in total deposits and the revaluation of foreign currency deposits.

Gross loans grew by 71% from NGN4.1 trillion in 2022 to NGN7.1 trillion in 2023 due to the revaluation of foreign currency loans and the growth in local currency risk assets.

As a result of the disciplined and diligent approach to risk assets creation and management, the loan growth did not significantly impact the Non-Performing Loans (NPL) ratio, which increased marginally from 4.3% to 4.4% despite the heightened risk environment and challenging operating environment, an attestation to the Group’s resilience despite headwinds and a challenging macroeconomic environment.

Also, the prudential ratios remain within regulatory thresholds, with the Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) and liquidity ratio at 21.7% and 71.0%, respectively, at the close of 2023.

As a demonstration of its commitment to shareholders, the bank has announced a proposed final dividend payout of NGN3.50 per share, bringing the total dividend to NGN4.00 per share.

In 2024, the Group will complete the transition to a holding company structure, which is anticipated to position it advantageously for exploring emerging opportunities in the Fintech space while bolstering its digital and retail banking initiatives.

Furthermore, the Group is undertaking urgent necessary actions to meet the new minimum NGN500 billion equity capital requirement to maintain its international authorisation within the timeframe stipulated by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

This will strengthen its presence in key markets to continue positioning for sustainable growth and value addition for stakeholders.

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has continued to earn the brand numerous awards, including being recognised as Best Bank in Nigeria, for the fourth time in five years, from 2020 to 2022 and in 2024, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; the Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023, being listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023; being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 14th consecutive year, in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria, for three consecutive years from 2021 to 2023, in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Governance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022 and 2023; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Banker’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa, for four successive years from 2020 to 2023, by the Ethical Boardroom; Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the International Banker 2023 Banking Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria in the International Banker 2022 Banking Awards.

Also, the bank emerged as the Most Valuable Banking Brand in Nigeria in the Banker Magazine Top 500 Banking Brands 2020 and 2021; Bank of the Year 2023 and Retail Bank of the Year for three consecutive years from 2020 to 2022, at the BusinessDay Banks and Other Financial Institutions (BAFI) Awards. Similarly, Zenith Bank was named Bank of the Decade (People’s Choice) at the ThisDay Awards 2020, Bank of the Year 2021 by Champion Newspaper, Bank of the Year 2022 by New Telegraph Newspaper, and Most Responsible Organisation in Africa 2021 by SERAS Awards.

United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) has reported a 256.89% increase in profit after tax to N607.69 billion in the full year ended December 31, 2023 from N170.27 billion achieved in the previous year.

This outstanding performance underscores UBA’s resilience and strategic positioning in navigating the challenging economic landscape while capitalizing on emerging opportunities.

The audited financial results filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited also revealed improvement across various financial metrics.

UBA’s gross earnings rose by 143% to N2.08 trillion compared to N853.2 billion recorded in 2022.

Similarly, the bank’s profit before tax surged by 277% to N758 billion, a significant leap from N201 billion in the prior year.

One of the most remarkable achievements for UBA was the doubling of its total assets, which crossed the N10 trillion mark to close at N20.65 trillion in December 2023. This exponential growth represents a 90.22% increase from N10.86 trillion in 2022.

UBA’s shareholders also witnessed a significant uptick in their funds, with the group’s shareholders’ funds increasing by 120.2% year-on-year to N2.0 trillion.

The group’s cost-to-income ratio dropped from 59.2% in 2022 to 37.2%, reflecting improved cost management and operational efficiency.

Also, UBA significantly bolstered its loan portfolios by 61.3% to N5.5 trillion, while deposits witnessed a substantial increase of 90.31% to N14.9 trillion, compared to N7.8 trillion recorded in 2022.

In line with its commitment to value creation and rewarding shareholders, UBA’s Chairman, Tony Elumelu, fulfilled the promise made at the last annual general meeting by proposing a final dividend of N2.30 kobo for every ordinary share of 50 kobo for the fiscal year 2023.

The proposed dividend, to be paid from retained earnings totaling N919.872 billion as of December 2023, underscores the bank’s commitment to delivering sustainable returns to its shareholders.

Commenting on the financial performance, UBA’s Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Oliver Alawuba, stated, “I am very pleased with the unprecedented results achieved by our group in 2023.”

“The group’s shareholder’s funds crossed N2 trillion from N922 billion in 2022. The group is well positioned for further business expansion in FY2024 having closed FY2023 with a capital adequacy ratio of 32.6 percent.”