SafeTrust posts N76.8m PBT for 2016 financial account

Foremost mortgage institution, Safetrust Mortgage Bank Limited said it achieved profit before tax (PBT) of N76.8million for the financial year ended 31st December, 2016.
 
This was announced by the Chairman, Akin Opeodu, at the 2017 Annual General Meeting of the Bank held in Lagos.The Bank closed the year with over N1.5billion in interest earnings, N8.1billion in total assets while the capital base/shareholders fund stood at N2.77billion. Opeodu reiterated that the financial year under review was a very challenging period during which the country’s economy declined into recession.
 
According to Opeodu, “the situation was further heightened by increased volatility and uncertainty in the global economy, persistent decline in crude oil prices and incessant damages to oil installations in the Niger Delta that resulted in low levels of oil production with impact on foreign currency availability for business.”

A major development during the year was the retirement of Yinka Adeola having served the maximum period of two terms of five years each as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and the appointment of Akintayo Oloko, as the new helmsman of the Bank.
 
Another highlight of the year was the total dividend payment of N33,735,000.00 at 2k per share which represents 86 percent of the group’s profit for the year ended 31st December, 2016.
 
Subsequent to the financial year end of 31st December 2016, the capital base of the Bank was increased from N2.77 billion to N5.3 billion following the issuance of 2.5 billion fully paid ordinary shares of N1 each to Colebrook Investment Limited, via Synergy Capital, a private equity fund manager.

With this, the Bank has surpassed the minimum capital/shareholders fund of N5billion for a national operating licence. Consequently, the Bank has obtained Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval for both the capital injection and national mortgage licence..

Safetrust is managed by a nine-man board of directors, with branches at Ikoyi, Ikeja, and Agent Banking services in FCT Abuja.Messrs KPMG Professional Services were reappointed and retained as external auditors to the bank for a further term.