Wema Bank Plc has further consolidated its capital position with the successful listing of 4.55 billion ordinary shares on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) following a private placement valued at N50 billion.
According to a notice from the Exchange, the newly listed shares, 4,545,454,542 ordinary shares of 50 Kobo each, were listed on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, at N11.00 per share.
With this addition, the bank’s issued and fully paid-up share capital has now increased from 35.57 billion to 40.12 billion shares, strengthening its capital adequacy ratio and capacity for future expansion.
The listing places Wema Bank among the top 25 most capitalized companies on the Nigerian Exchange, with a market capitalization of N756 billion, representing about 0.8% of the NGX equity market capitalization.
The fresh capital injection is expected to enhance the bank’s growth drive, improve liquidity, and reinforce its strategic investments in digital banking and retail expansion.
Strong year-to-date growth despite recent volatility
Wema Bank’s share price performance has reflected strong investor interest throughout 2025. The stock closed trading on Friday, November 7, 2025, at N18.85 per share, representing a 107% year-to-date gain from its opening price of N9.10 in January.
Despite this impressive rally, the stock has experienced a mild pullback, losing about 6% in the past four weeks, with a 2.1% dip from N19.25 to N18.85 per share on Friday, November 7.
Market analysts attribute the correction to short-term profit-taking following months of sustained price appreciation.
Over the past three months (August 11 – November 7, 2025), Wema Bank has ranked as the 22nd most actively traded stock on the NGX, with 659 million shares exchanged across 24,904 deals, valued at N12.6 billion.
The stock recorded a trading high of 152 million shares on October 2 and a low of 572,900 shares on September 11, underscoring consistent market activity and investor participation.
Q3 2025 results underscore strong fundamentals
The bank reported a robust 42% year-on-year growth in gross earnings, driven by increased interest income from loans, improved non-interest revenue, and the success of its digital banking platforms, including ALAT.
Pre-tax profit for the period surged to N35.7 billion, up from N25.1 billion in the same period of 2024.
The bank’s total assets also rose by 26% year-on-year to exceed N2.1 trillion, while customer deposits grew steadily, supported by an expanding retail base and innovative digital offerings.
Analysts say the private placement is timely, providing Wema Bank with the capital buffer needed to sustain its growth trajectory, enhance risk-weighted asset coverage, and position the bank competitively ahead of the expected recapitalisation drive in the Nigerian banking sector.
Market outlook
With its strengthened capital base, digital leadership, and rising profitability, Wema Bank is increasingly seen as one of Nigeria’s fastest-growing mid-tier lenders. The additional N50 billion from the private placement will provide financial flexibility to fund new lending opportunities, deepen its technology infrastructure, and expand into new customer segments.
While short-term share price volatility may persist, market watchers remain optimistic about the bank’s medium- to long-term prospects, citing its strong fundamentals, operational efficiency, and clear growth strategy.
