Amid a harsh operating environment, Ecobank Group has achieved a profit before tax (PBT) of $801 million in its 2025 operations, against $662 million posted in 2024.

The bank’s audited 2025 result showed a 21 per cent rise in PBT to $801 million from $662 million recorded in 2024, while net revenues increased by 17 per cent from $2.1 billion to $2.45 billion. These were driven by solid performances in both corporate and investment banking, as well as consumer and commercial banking.

According to the bank, growth was supported by increased client activities, higher trade volumes and continued expansion in payments and lending across the group’s extensive network.

It stated that the group’s diversified Pan-African business model continued to underpin its resilience, operational and financial performance.

The bank also noted that Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (CESA) emerged as the fastest-growing region, while Anglophone and Francophone West Africa delivered strong profitability supported by improved funding costs, trade flows and treasury activities.

The bank said efficiencies improved as revenue growth outpaced cost increases, resulting in a record cost-to-income ratio of 48.3 per cent, from 52.8 per cent recorded a year ago.

The group also maintained a robust balance sheet, with solid capital and liquidity buffers as Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) recorded strong momentum, achieving a 40 per cent increase in profit before tax to $697 million, backed by growth in trade finance, cash management, and capital markets.

Similarly, Consumer and Commercial Banking (CCB) delivered substantial results, with profit before tax rising by 27 per cent to $480 million, supported by robust deposit mobilisation and heightened lending activity, rising by 33 per cent.

Across its CIB and CCB businesses, customer deposits grew by $4.9 billion to $25.3 billion, reflecting significant transaction flows and deepened customer engagement, while loans, driven by trade finance and digitally enabled lending, rose to $12.8 billion.

The bank’s total capital adequacy ratio stood at 16.7 per cent above minimum regulatory requirements by 420 basis points, with return on tangible equity (ROTE) of 27.8 per cent.

Based on the improved performance, the directors are recommending a dividend payout of $40 million or 0.16 US cents ($0.0016) per share, subject to shareholders’ approval at the annual general meeting.