Shareholders of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated have approved all resolutions presented at the company’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held in Lomé, including a $40 million dividend payout for the 2025 financial year after the group delivered a record-breaking financial performance.
The dividend, equivalent to 0.16 US cents per share, marks the pan-African banking group’s first distribution to shareholders since 2022.
For the financial year ended December 31, 2025, ETI posted a record profit before tax of $801 million, representing a 21 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
The group’s net revenues rose by 17 per cent to $2.45 billion, while its pre-provision, pre-tax operating profit increased by 29 per cent to $1.265 billion, reflecting strong operational performance and sustained growth across its markets.
Speaking to shareholders at the meeting, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Papa Ndiaye, attributed the strong financial performance to the successful execution of the group’s corporate recovery and growth strategy.
“Our strong 2025 financial performance has marked the return to dividend payments to our shareholders. This $40m dividend is a direct reflection of the resilience of our unrivalled pan-African model, institutional maturity, and our staff’s skill and discipline.
“This achievement is a good illustration of my absolute confidence in the strength of the group to continue delivering sustainable growth and value across the continent,” Ndiaye said.
He added that the bank’s strong performance highlights the value of its diversified regional presence, which helps protect the group’s balance sheet from country-specific economic disruptions and market volatility.
Echoing the chairman’s remarks, Ecobank Group Chief Executive Officer, Jeremy Awori, said the continued implementation of the lender’s Growth, Transformation and Returns strategy remains a key driver of its growth and long-term expansion.
He said, “Our shareholders once again strongly reaffirmed their confidence in our GTR strategy. Thanks to our deliberate and structured approach to growth, we are bringing value to our shareholders while transforming payments and trade across our 34 markets.
“Steadily, our pan-African model is building the infrastructure that will enable the future of the continent’s financial architecture.”
The financial statements also showed that the tier-one lender maintained a capital adequacy ratio of 16.7 per cent, exceeding the regulatory requirement for cross-border banking operations by approximately 420 basis points.
The group also achieved a record level of operational efficiency, with its cost-to-income ratio falling to an all-time low of 48.3 per cent during the review period, reflecting stronger cost management and improved productivity across its operations.
