Banking Sector
Fidelity Bank Improves Key Metrics to Grow Profit by 43 Percent in 2021
Fidelity Bank Plc, a Nigeria leading tier-II bank, has reported another strong financial statement for the financial year ended December 31, 2021. The lender grew revenue by N43.242 billion or 20.97 percent to N249.446 billion.
Fidelity Bank stated in its unaudited financial statement obtained by Investors King.
Interest revenue also rose by N16.910 billion or 10.03 percent to N185.461 billion from N168.551 billion achieved in the 2020 financial year. Other interest and similar income jumped 104.59 percent to N16.781 billion.
As expected, interest expense rose to N107.324 billion on the back of rising costs. Therefore, net interest income dipped to N94.918 billion, an 8.8 percent decline from N104.123 billion filed in 2020.
The lender net interest income after credit loss/reversal stood at N89.403 billion, slightly higher than N87.263 billion posted in the corresponding year of 2020.
Profit before tax increased by 44.84 percent to N40.634 billion on the back of a broad-based improvement in the bank’s key metrics.
Fidelity Bank paid an income tax of N2.511 billion to report N38.123 billion profit after tax, an increase of 43 percent from N26.650 billion in 2020.
Speaking on the bank’s strong performance in H1, 2021, Mrs. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, MD/CEO of Fidelity Bank Plc said, “We sustained our impressive financial performance with double-digit growth in profit as increased customer transactions drove non-interest revenue while improved operational efficiency continued to moderate cost – to – serve.”
“Digital Banking gained further traction as we now have 55.1% of our customers enrolled on the mobile/internet banking products and 89.3% of customer-induced transactions were done on digital platforms”.
“We look forward to sustaining the current momentum in H2 2021 by optimizing our balance sheet and lowering our cost – to – serve which will translate to improved earnings while we remain committed to our medium to long-term strategic objectives.”