Business

Wema Bank Records Impressive Financial Performance in 2022 Half-Year Reports

Published

2 years ago

August 2, 2022

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

Sponsored by: H&H

Wema Bank Plc, pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank and one of Nigeria’s most resilient banks, has posted a growth performance across all financial indices in the First-Half of its 2022 operations.

This information is contained in the Financial Results for the Period Ended 30 June, 2022 released in Lagos on 28 July, 2022.

In the report, the bank recorded an increase of 50 percent in its Gross Earnings from the ₦39.82 billion it recorded in H1 of 2021 to ₦59.59 billion. It also grew its Interest Income by 55 percent year-on-year, from the ₦32.19 billion recorded at this period last year to ₦49.75 billion.

The bank’s Non-Interest Income went up from ₦7.64 billion in the period ended 30 June, 2021 to ₦9.85 billion, an increase of 29 percent.

Similarly, Wema Bank recorded a 43 percent increase in Profit before tax (PBT) from ₦4.30 billion over the same period last year to ₦6.13 billion for the period under review. The bank’s Profit after tax (PAT) also increased from ₦3.72 billion in H1 2021 to ₦5.30 billion reflecting a raise of 42 percent.

The bank also grew its deposit by 13 percent from ₦968.17 billion reported in FY 2021 to ₦1.09 trillion in the H1 2022. It also grew its loans and advances from ₦418.86 billion to ₦447.23b in H1 2022, an increase of seven percent.

Ademola Adebise, the Managing Director/Chief Executive officer of the bank, attributed the remarkable performance to increased customer satisfaction the bank delivers through its investment in technology.

“Our performance has shown strong and promising results in the second quarter. Customers have continually shown trust in our proficiency, innovation, and service delivery even as the market gets more challenging.

That said, I am confident, that despite increased volatility and uncertainty, we will continue to scale up, manoeuvre the environment, creatively manage our resources, and drive long-term, substantial returns for shareholders.”

In his own remarks, the bank’s Chief Finance Officer, Mr. Tunde Mabawonku, explained that the strong performance stems from the bank’s diversification of its business and value derived from its digital assets.

“This has been a strong first half with Interest Income up 55% and Profit Before Tax up 43% compared to H1 2021.” Mabawonku said.

“This strong showing is down to diversification at different levels of our businesses. Also, it is a testament to the advantage of our investment in digital banking assets which have continued to boost customer satisfaction and build trust for us. Also, we are aware of the challenges that the rising cost of living is having on our customers and stakeholders.

Given the size of our balance sheet and income growth, we have trust in our ability to continue to provide support and help cushion the impact of growing costs in the market,” he explained.

ABOUT WEMA BANK Plc

Wema Bank Plc (NGX: WEMABANK) is the pioneer of Africa’s first fully digital bank, ALAT, and one of Nigeria’s most resilient banks. With decades of experience in the business of banking, the Bank has remained innovative in delivering value to its stakeholders.

Wema Bank operates a network of over 150 branches and service stations backed by a robust ICT platform.

The publicly quoted Nigerian company has successfully built a legacy of trust and resilience that has won it the loyalty of its customers.

The Bank is constantly introducing products and services tailored to the needs of its customers at every stage of their lives.

It is a proud partner to more than one million individuals, families, and businesses across Nigeria, helping them achieve their personal and financial goals.

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ZENITH BANK HOLDCO STRUCTURE TRANSITION APPROVED BY SHAREHOLDERS

Published

3 days ago

April 30, 2024

august24admin

AJAGBE ADEYEMI TESLIM

SPONSORED BY: H&H

Shareholders of Zenith Bank Plc unanimously approved the restructuring of the Bank to a holding company during a court-ordered Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held virtually from Zenith Heights, Zenith Bank Plc, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday, April 26, 2024.

The Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR (Centre) flanked by the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu (Right) and the Deputy Managing Director, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON (Left) during a court-ordered Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) held virtually from the Zenith Heights, Zenith Bank Plc, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday.

in accordance with the Scheme of Arrangement dated March 28 2024, pursuant to Section 715 of the Companies and Allied Matters Act (CAMA), 2020 between the Bank and the holders of the fully paid ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each in the Bank, the shareholders voted to transfer 31,396,493,787 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each held in the issued and paid-up share capital of Zenith Bank Plc to Zenith Bank Holding Company Plc (the HoldCo) in exchange for the allotment of 31,396,493,787 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each in the share capital of the HoldCo in the same proportion to their shareholding in the Bank. Similarly, the shareholders approved that each Existing GDR Holder receive, as consideration for each existing GDR held, one new HoldCo GDR.

The shareholders also approved that all of the shares held by the nominees of the Bank in Zenpay Limited, a direct subsidiary of the HoldCo, together with all rights and liabilities attached to such shares, be transferred to the HoldCo. The Board of Directors were also authorised to delist the shares of the Bank and the Existing GDRs from the official list of the Nigerian Exchange and the London Stock Exchange respectively as well as re-register the Bank as a private limited company under CAMA Act 2020.

In his remarks during the EGM, the Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR, thanked the shareholders for their unwavering commitment, which has been instrumental in the Bank’s outstanding performance over the years. He expressed his delight at witnessing the transition of the Bank to a holding company, which is anticipated to position it advantageously for exploring emerging opportunities in the Fintech space while bolstering its digital and retail banking initiatives.

Also speaking during the EGM, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, lauded the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, for his pivotal role in creating an institution that has consistently been a trailblazer in the nation’s financial services industry. Dr. Onyeagwu expressed his optimism about the Bank’s growth trajectory in the coming years as it transitions into a holding company structure.

According to him, “The HoldCo structure presents an opportunity for us to unlock value for shareholders in terms of opportunity in other sectors beyond banking. The first part is Fintech, where we have already received the approval and the license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), which we are launching soon. It is going to be focusing on an area that we know has not been touched on by anyone. So it is more like us finding an open wide space where we can begin to operate, and with a HoldCo, what that means is that we have an opportunity to diversify our investment. We can begin to look at other business verticals that were restrained by the kind of authorisation we have. So, it presents a big opportunity for us to have a wider lens and scope in terms of what we can do. It will also position us to think of opportunities beyond Africa. We will be looking at key business verticals that have the potential to enable us to create value for shareholders.”

On the recapitalisation plan of the Bank, Dr. Onyeagwu stated that the Bank is on course to receive the needed shareholder’s approval in the forthcoming Annual General Meeting (AGM) slated for May 8, 2024, which will kickstart its capital raising effort in line with the CBN directive. He expressed confidence in the Bank’s ability to raise the stipulated capital, stating that amongst its peers in the industry, Zenith was expected to raise the least amount due to its already robust capital base.