2025FY: Ecobank Group Reports 21% Increase in PBT to $801m
Kayode Tokede
Ecobank Group has delivered strong financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025, reflecting continued execution of its Growth, Transformation, and Returns (GTR) strategy and deliberate growth across its businesses.
In 2025, the group declared a profit before tax of $801 million, about 21 per cent increase over $661.86 million declared in 2024, while net revenue moved to $2.45 billion, an increase of 17 per cent from $2.09 billion reported in 2024.
The growth in net revenue was driven by solid performances in both Corporate and Investment Banking, and Consumer and Commercial Banking.
Growth was supported by increased client activity, higher trade volumes, and continued expansion in payments and lending across the Group’s extensive network.
The group’s diversified Pan-African business model continued to underpin our resilience and our operational and financial performance. Central, Eastern and Southern Africa (CESA) emerged as the fastest-growing region, while Anglophone and Francophone West Africa delivered strong profitability supported by improved funding costs, trade flows, and treasury activities.
This resilience drove sustained value for our shareholders, marked by a return on tangible equity (ROTE) of 27.8per cent. Reflecting this strong financial position, the ETI Board has recommended a dividend payout of $40 million or 0.16 US cents ($0.0016) per share, subject to shareholder approval at the Annual General Meeting.
The Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Group, Jeremy Awori in a statement said: “Our 2025 performance has further demonstrated that our Growth, Transformation and Returns (GTR) strategy, along with our diversified pan-African business model, is yielding positive results.
“This includes a return on tangible shareholders’ equity of 27.8per cent and a record cost-to-income ratio of 48.3 per cent, down from 52.8 per cent a year ago, with improvements across various businesses and regions.”
He added: “We continued to invest in enhancing our solutions and customer interactions across both physical and digital channels, resulting in a 1,000-basis-point increase in customer satisfaction to 70per cent. Furthermore, we made significant progress in key turnaround subsidiaries in the CESA region, including Kenya, Uganda, and Zambia, where efficiency ratios have improved markedly.”
“Overall, these achievements would not have been possible without the dedication of approximately 14,000 Ecobank employees across Africa, who have embraced our ongoing transformation and prioritised meeting our customers’s needs. I am proud of their efforts,” he concluded.
Operationally, efficiencies improved as revenue growth outpaced cost increases, resulting in a record cost-to-income ratio of 48.3per cent, improved from 52.8per cent a year ago.
The group maintained a robust balance sheet, with solid capital and liquidity buffers. Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) recorded strong momentum, achieving a 40per cent increase in profit before tax to $697 million, backed by growth in trade finance, cash management, and capital markets.
Similarly, Consumer and Commercial Banking (CCB) delivered substantial results, with profit before tax rising by 27 per cent to $480 million, supported by robust deposit mobilisation and heightened lending activity, rising by 33 per cent.
