Na big gist dey ground for banking sector as Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc, wey dem dey call GTCO, don release im 2025 financial results. The numbers show say di bank still dey stand strong, even though profit after tax drop small. But wetin make investors dey smile na di record dividend wey dem declare – N12.76k per share. Na serious money wey go make shareholders dey dance.
For di year wey end December 2025, GTCO report profit before tax of N1.23 trillion. When you compare am to 2024 wey dem get N1.27 trillion, na small drop of about 2.78%. But make we look am well: di 2024 profit carry one big one-time gain of N517.5 billion from fair value adjustment. For 2025, dat kain gain no show again, but di bank still manage to hold im ground from im main business operations.
Where di gist sweet pass na for interest income. GTCO yarn say interest income jump by 23.2% to reach N1.653 trillion. Na di banking business and im other ventures like GTFM, GTPFA and Habari wey push dis growth. Fee and commission income sef increase by 25.9% to N278.5 billion. So di core business dey waxing strong.
But profit after tax drop to N865.75 billion from N1.02 trillion for 2024. Wetin cause am? Na government new tax policy for investment securities. Dem don introduce withholding tax for short-term instruments, and dis one affect GTCO numbers. If you remove dis tax matter, di underlying earnings still dey solid.
Di balance sheet sef dey impressive. Total assets grow from N14.796 trillion to N17.761 trillion – na 20% increase. Customer deposits jump by 23.8% to N12.874 trillion. Loans and advances to customers increase by 12.4% to N3.132 trillion. So di bank dey collect money and dey lend am well-well.
For risk management side, GTCO show say im asset quality dey improve. Cost of Risk drop from 4.9% to 2.2%. IFRS 9 Stage 3 loans at bank level drop from 3.5% to 3.4%. At group level, na from 5.2% to 5.0%. Meaning say bad loans dey reduce.
Now to di sweet part wey make investors dey happy. GTCO declare total dividend of N12.76k per share for 2025. Na 59% increase from di N8.03k wey dem pay for 2024. Dis dividend include interim dividend of N1.00k wey dem pay earlier and final dividend of N11.76k. Di final dividend go still suffer withholding tax before dem pay shareholders.
Di Group Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Segun Agbaje, talk say di 2025 results show di strength of GTCO earnings capacity. “Our record dividend payout dis year na not only reflection of our current profitability but also our confidence for di Group long-term earnings potential,” Agbaje yarn. “Di strength of our underlying earnings, despite stronger Naira and tighter regulatory parameters, reflect di quality of our franchise.”
For capital position, GTCO Capital Adequacy Ratio remain very strong at 43.8%. Shareholders’ funds increase to N3.4 trillion from N2.7 trillion. Cost to income ratio at group level close at 27.9%, meaning say di bank dey manage im expenses well.
Earnings per share drop to 2,543 kobo from 3,544 kobo for 2024. Wetin cause dis na because di number of shares increase after GTCO successful capital raising for 2024 and 2025. More shares mean di profit dey spread across more people.
GTCO submit im audited financial statements to Nigerian Exchange Group and London Stock Exchange. Di results show say despite challenges for 2025, di bank still dey maintain strong performance metrics. Return on equity after tax stand at 28.3%, return on assets na 5.3%.
Market analysts dey watch di numbers closely. Some dey talk say di drop for profit after tax na because of tax policy, not because di business weak. Others dey point to di strong growth for interest income and deposits as signs say GTCO core operations dey solid.
For Nigerian banking sector, GTCO performance dey set standard. Di bank don consistently pay dividend over di years, and di 2025 payout na continuation of dat tradition. With total assets approaching N18 trillion, GTCO remain one of di biggest financial institutions for Nigeria.
As investors dey wait for di dividend payment, di focus dey shift to wetin GTCO go do for 2026. Di bank say dem remain focused on scaling im ecosystem and driving innovation across im financial services platform. Di goal na to deliver consistent, high-quality earnings wey go create value for shareholders.
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