Zenith Bank Remains Tenacious, Surpasses Market Expectations With Double-digit Growth In Gross Earnings 

Zenith Bank Plc has announced an impressive result for the year ended December 31, 2021, recording a double-digit growth of 10% in gross earnings which rose to N765.6 billion from N696.5 billion reported in the previous year. This is despite a challenging macroeconomic environment aggravated by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

According to the bank’s audited financial results for the 2021 financial year presented to the Nigeria Exchange Group (NGX), the Group achieved year-on-year (YoY) growth in gross earnings of 10% from NGN696.5 billion reported in the previous year to N765.6billion. This was on the back of 23% YoY growth in non-interest income from N251.7billion to N309billion and a 2% YoY growth in interest income from N420.8billion to NGN427.6billion.

Profit before tax also grew by 10% from NGN255.9 billion to NGN280.4 billion in the current year. The increase was due to growth in the top-line and very strong management of the treasury portfolio that increased efficiency, resulting in a drop in interest expense by 12% from NGN121.1 billion in 2020 to NGN106.8 billion in the current year. This further led to a 7% increase in net interest income of NGN320.8 billion in 2021 from NGN299.7 billion in 2020.

Customer deposits increased by 21%, growing from NGN5.34 trillion in the previous year to NGN6.47 trillion in the current year. The growth in customer deposits came from both corporate and retail customers. Retail deposits grew by NGN146 billion from NGN1.72 trillion in 2020 to NGN1.87 trillion in 2021. The Group’s continuous drive for retail deposits combined with the strategic rebalancing of its funding base helped to reduce the cost of funding from 2.1% to 1.5% in the current year. Although operating expenses grew by 13% YoY, growth remains below the inflation rate, and the Group improved its Earnings per Share (EPS) which grew by 6% from NGN7.34 to NGN7.78.