Business
AGM: Shareholders Commend Wema Bank for Splendid 2024 Performance
Wema Bank, Nigeria’s oldest indigenous, most innovative bank and pioneer of Africa’s first-fully digital bank, ALAT, has received a unanimous vote of confidence from its shareholders across Nigeria as it disclosed a record-breaking financial performance at its 2024 Annual General Meeting (AGM).
The Wema Bank 2024 AGM held virtually in Lagos on Thursday, May 22, 2025.
According to the Bank’s 2024 Annual Report, Wema Bank, in 2024, recorded an all-time-high performance, with Gross Earnings growing by 91.51% from N225.75 billion in FY 2023 to N432.34 billion in FY 2024; Profit before Tax (PBT) increasing by 135.16% to N102.51 billion in FY 2024 from N43.59 billion in FY 2023, and Profit After Tax (PAT) increasing by 140.13% to N86.29 billion from N35.93 billion reported in FY 2023; Total Deposits rose by 35.65% to N2,523.82 billion in FY 2024 from N 1,860.57 billion in FY 2023 and Total Assets stood at N3,585.05billion in FY 2024, representing a 60.04% increase over the N2,240.06billion recorded in the corresponding year of 2023 and placing the Bank squarely above the One trillion Naira mark, a milestone the Bank surpassed in Q3 2021.
The Bank also grew its loans to customers by 49.94% to close FY 2024 at N1,201.21 billion from the N801.10 billion recorded in 2023. Impressively, the Wema and ALAT brands continue to win public acceptance and market relevance as the Bank continues to record growth in its retail deposit drive. 2024 has proven beyond doubt to be an exceptional for the Bank with earnings growing by 91.51% year on year with earnings per share at 483.2 kobo. Additionally, the Bank’s Non-Performing Loan rate closed at 3.86%, a reduction from FY 2023 position. It is no surprise that the Bank received unanimous commendation from shareholders, with both internal and external stakeholders expressing full confidence in the Bank’s stable outlook and successful financial future.
Among the shareholders who expressed a vote of confidence in Wema Bank were Mr. Matthew Akinlade, who commended the Management for a performance he regarded as “very outstanding”, and Ambassador Doctor Olatunde Okelana, who described the 2024 financial performance of Wema Bank as “historical”, commending Wema Bank’s proactive approach to employee well-being.
Mrs. Bisi Bakare, National Coordinator of the Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Nigeria, also added, “I want to start by commending Wema Bank’s outstanding performance despite the challenging macroeconomic performance. On gender inclusion, I would also like to commend Wema Bank for an impressive gender diversity on the board with 5 out of 11 directors being female, representing a remarkable 38% ratio. Furthermore, I want to seriously commend the succession plan of Wema Bank, and the board for achieving 100% attendance in meetings, which shows a full commitment on their part”.
Anchoring the Wema Bank 2024 AGM, Dr. Oluwayemisi Olorunshola, the Chairman of Wema Bank, expressed the Bank’s gratitude and appreciation to its shareholders, customers, employees, regulators, partners and other stakeholders, for their continued support and contributions to the Bank’s outstanding performance for the year in view, reiterating the Bank’s commitment to sustain the upward surge in its performance in the decades to come.
Alluding to the Bank’s plan for sustaining the gargantuan growth recorded in 2024, Moruf Oseni, the Bank’s MD/CEO, added, “We will continue to deliver best-in-class financial solutions, invest in second-to-none technology, reinforce our internal framework for maximum efficiency and remain fully committed to innovation and service excellence, as we continue to provide optimum returns for every stakeholder of Wema Bank. The N150 billion Rights Issue window ended yesterday May 21st, 2025. However, we have raised a motion to raise another N50 billion through private placement, and with your permission, we will proceed with that, come June 2025.
“At the end of it all, what we expect is that Wema Bank will have qualifying capital slightly north of N267 billion, which allows us to sustain the resilient and robust franchise that we have built together, to keep Wema Bank thriving as a force to be reckoned with in the industry. Wema Bank stands strong at 80 and in the decades to come, I can assure you that the growth we are experiencing today, is just a tip of the iceberg,” Oseni concluded.
Wema Bank 2024 AGM saw the Bank’s shareholders authorise a number of decisions including the re-election of board members, remuneration of Audit and Board members, and payment of dividends of N1 per share.
From marking the incredible milestone of its 80th anniversary to making significant strides towards meeting the CBN recapitalisation benchmark for 2026 and achieving a record-breaking 2024 financial performance that has sustained an unparalleled growth streak over the past decade, Wema Bank has proven its capacity to remain at the forefront of the African financial industry without compromising on delivering unmatched value to stakeholders.
UBA Group senior executives recently concluded the Group’s Half Year Business Review. Held at global headquarters in Lagos Nigeria, Group Managing Director/CEO, Oliver Alawuba, brought together executives responsible for UBA’s twenty-four countries of operation.
It was an opportunity to restate the Group’s pan-African strategy, and commitment to further expanding the Group’s coverage across high potential markets across Africa, while also deepening its operations in its existing twenty African presence markets. With over 51.7% of Group revenues from ex Nigerian operations, UBA’s journey to being Africa’s most diversified financial services group was clearly in evidence,
The international strategic intent reinforces with the Group’s intention to deliver innovative financial solutions to its fast-growing global customer base. The strategy demonstrates UBA’s unique position as Africa’s global bank and ability to leverage growth opportunities in emerging and leading African markets.
The Group commenced its Pan African journey, with its entry into Ghana in 2004, followed by rapid expansion into 18 additional African markets. Today, as a resilient and future-focused institution, UBA continues to push boundaries by connecting Africa to the world and the world to Africa.
Mr Alawuba highlighted the Group’s expansion plans, disclosing that the Group is excited about the vast opportunities that the new markets present, a testament to UBA Group’s confidence in the African economy, providing world-class banking services that meet the continent’s evolving needs.
“UBA’s vision is clear – we are building a truly global institution anchored in Africa, but serving customers across continents. Further strategic expansion positions us to unlock new opportunities, support intra-Africa trade, and deliver world-class banking experiences wherever our clients choose to do business,” Alawuba said.
“In Europe, UBA has operations in the United Kingdom and upgrading its license in France, expanding its capacity to serve cross-border trade, investment flows, and the African diaspora, complementing our over 40-year presence in NY. These moves signal a clear message of UBA’s intent to reshape the competitive landscape”, Alawuba further said.
As part of the Group’s plan to expand its global presence, UBA, in January, announced plans to open operations in Saudi Arabia.
Operating in twenty African countries and the United Kingdom, the United States of America, France and the United Arab Emirates, UBA provides retail, commercial and institutional banking services, leading financial inclusion and implementing cutting edge technology. United Bank for Africa is one of the largest employers in the financial sector on the African continent, with 25,000 employees’ group wide and serving over 45 million customers globally.
Ecobank Nigeria, an affiliate of the leading pan-African banking group, Ecobank Group, has announced a comprehensive suite of innovative financial solutions designed to support all key stakeholders within the education ecosystem. These offerings are aimed at driving financial inclusion, operational efficiency, and sustainable growth across the sector.
For school owners and educational leaders, Ecobank offers cash-backed loans to support both operational and capital expenditures. These are complemented by treasury management tools that enhance financial oversight, along with digital collection platforms that ensure seamless and efficient school fee processing. Teachers and non-teaching staff also stand to benefit significantly. Ecobank provides salary access tools that enable timely and flexible income management, career development programs to support continuous professional growth, and financial wellness plans designed to promote long-term financial stability.
Suppliers and partners within the education value chain benefit from tailored financial solutions such as invoice factoring for improved cash flow, inventory financing to maintain operational continuity, and marketplace visibility to expand their reach and business opportunities within the sector.
Speaking at the unveiling event in Lagos, Kola Adeleke, Executive Director, Commercial and Consumer Banking at Ecobank Nigeria, reaffirmed the bank’s commitment to empowering the education sector with practical financial solutions that address real-world challenges, enabling all participants, from institutions and educators to families and partners, to thrive.
“Our integrated financial and non-financial propositions form part of a broader strategy to strengthen our leadership in the education financing space, while contributing meaningfully to national and continental goals around access, equity, and excellence in learning. We have designed these solutions to meet the diverse needs of school proprietors, teaching and non-teaching staff, students, and parents. Ecobank is committed to empowering the education sector through seamless collections, access to credit, and a suite of sustainability-focused offerings. Education is a pillar of national development, and we recognize the sector as an integrated system of needs and opportunities. Our goal is to support this system not just with financing but also with digital tools, career development programs, and sustainability initiatives,” he said.
Also speaking, Adebukola Ademiluyi, Head of Education, Faith, and Social Services at Ecobank Nigeria, highlighted the bank’s commitment to affordable and inclusive financing options. She noted that by integrating smart financing with sustainability, digital infrastructure, and inclusive participation, Ecobank is pioneering a full-service banking model tailored to the realities of Africa’s education sector.
“More than just funding, we are enabling seamless school management systems through API partnerships that digitize operations such as student registration, staff payroll, inventory management, and parental communication. We also place strong emphasis on supporting parents and guardians, providing financial planning tools, access to student loans, merit-based scholarships, and child progress monitoring systems. These innovations are designed to ease financial burdens and deepen parental involvement in their children’s academic journeys,” she said.
Zenith Bank Plc has retained its position as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital for the sixteenth consecutive year, in the 2025 Top 1000 World Banks’ Rankings, published by The Banker, Financial Times Group, United Kingdom.
This ranking places Zenith Bank Plc as the 581st Bank globally, with a Tier-1 Capital of $2 billion.
The global rankings, published in the July 2025 edition of The Banker, was based on the 2024 year-end Tier-1 capital of banks. This is the primary basis for most international organizations’ assessments of banks.
Commenting on this achievement, the Group Managing Director/CEO of Zenith Bank Plc, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, said, “We are thrilled to have retained our position yet again as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 capital for the 16th consecutive year. This achievement is a reflection of the bank’s robust financial performance, prudent risk management and steadfast dedication to delivering exceptional value to our customers and stakeholders”.
She thanked the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his visionary and transformative leadership which has played a pivotal role in cultivating a resilient and thriving institution. She also expressed her deepest appreciation to the bank’s esteemed customers for their continued loyalty to the Zenith brand, the Board for the sound corporate governance, and the staff for their relentless & tireless efforts in ensuring the bank’s success.
Tier-1 Capital describes capital adequacy, the core measure of a bank’s financial strength from a regulator’s perspective. According to the ranking, Tier-1 Capital, as defined by the Bank for International Settlements (BIS) guidelines, includes loss-absorbing capital, i.e., common stock, disclosed reserves, retained earnings, and minority interests in the equity of subsidiaries that are less than wholly owned. A strong Tier-1 capital ratio boosts investor and depositor confidence, indicating the Bank is well-capitalised and financially stable.
According to the audited financial results for the 2024 financial year presented to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX), the Bank recorded a double-digit growth of 86% in gross earnings, increasing from N2.13 trillion in 2023 to N3.97 trillion in 2024. This growth was driven by a 138% increase in interest income, supported by investment in high-yield government securities, and growth in the Bank’s loan book.
Zenith Bank’s profit before tax (PBT) rose by 67%, reaching N1.3 trillion in 2024 from N796 billion in 2023. This performance saw the bank record an unprecedented total dividend payout of N195.67 billion at N5.00 per ordinary share in the 2024 financial year.
