Zenith Bank Plc reported stronger earnings from its foreign operations, with pre-tax profit rising to N331.7 billion in 2025, contributing 26.3% to the group’s total profit.
These subsidiaries in Ghana, the UK, Sierra Leone, and The Gambia improved from N179 billion in 2024, when they accounted for 13.5% of the group’s pre-tax profit.
This growth also showed in their balance sheets, as combined customer deposits rose to N6.7 trillion in 2025, representing 27.8% of total deposits and indicating stronger customer confidence.
This marks a 27.5% increase from N5.3 trillion in 2024, when they contributed 24.2%, with Zenith Bank UK recording the highest 2025 deposits at N3.6 trillion.
What the data is saying
Zenith Bank Group reported gross earnings from foreign operations at N793.3 billion in 2025, up 55.4% from N510.4 billion in 2024, contributing 18.9% to total group earnings.
- Of this, African subsidiaries excluding Nigeria generated a combined N544.1 billion, with Zenith Bank Ghana contributing the largest share of the regional performance.
- Zenith Bank UK followed with gross earnings of N249.1 billion, reinforcing its strong position among the group’s international operations.
This performance drove bottom-line growth, with profit after tax from African subsidiaries outside Nigeria rising to N149.3 billion, up 426.7% year-on-year from N28.3 billion, contributing 14.4% of the group’s total profit.
Zenith Bank UK recorded profit after tax of N74.1 billion, representing 7.1% of group earnings and reflecting a 29.1% year-on-year increase from N57.3 billion.
On the balance sheet, loans and advances from foreign operations grew by 81.5% to N2.2 trillion from N1.2 trillion, accounting for 22% of the group’s total at N10.4 trillion.
- African subsidiaries outside Nigeria contributed N1.08 trillion, led by Zenith Bank Ghana with N993.5 billion, while Zenith Bank UK outperformed with N1.2 trillion in loans.
Customer deposits followed a similar trend, with Zenith Bank UK recording N3.6 trillion, surpassing African subsidiaries’ N3.1 trillion, bringing total foreign deposits to N6.7 trillion in 2025.
Get up to speed
Building on its African expansion, Zenith Bank announced on April 7, 2026, the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of Paramount Bank Kenya Limited.
- The group stated that the move followed the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals in both Kenya and Nigeria.
- It described the acquisition as a key step in its long-term strategic growth plan and a major entry point into the East African market.
This follows a strong 2025 financial year, where the bank reported a post-tax profit of N1.04 trillion, up 0.7% from N1.03 trillion, supported by interest income of N3.6 trillion.
What you should know
Zenith Bank Plc now reports total assets of N31.4 trillion, representing a 5.0% year-on-year increase from N29.9 trillion in the previous year.
The Nigerian subsidiary accounts for 75.2% of total assets, contributing N23.6 trillion to the group’s balance sheet.
Foreign subsidiaries make up the remaining N8.4 trillion, reflecting a 30.7% increase from N6.4 trillion recorded in the prior year.
In terms of profitability, African subsidiaries outside Nigeria have the highest PBT margin at 42.7%, followed by Zenith Bank UK at 38% and Zenith Bank Nigeria at 27.3%.
