United Capital Group, a pan-African investment bank and financial services group, has approved a total dividend payout of N18 billion as shareholder returns for the 2025 financial year.

The Group CEO, Peter Ashade, disclosed this in his statement at the company’s Annual General Meeting on Friday, attended by Nairametrics.

The board’s proposal of a total dividend of N1 per share, totalling N18 billion, payable to shareholders, was approved at the AGM.

The meeting convened the company’s directors, staff, and shareholders to review its 2025 financial performance.

On shareholder returns, the CEO said in his statement that: “United Capital upheld its commitment to improving shareholders’ wealth, as the Board approved a final cash dividend of N0.70 per ordinary share (N12.6 billion), bringing the total dividend for FY 2025 to N1.00 per share (N18 billion), up 25 per cent year-on-year from the N14.4 billion payout in 2024.”

According to him, the company’s performance underscores the Group’s resilience and ability to sustain its historic growth trajectory, operating profitable and well-diversified businesses despite the volatile and challenging operating environment.

He said the Group remains well-positioned to build on this momentum and drive continued growth and long-term value creation for shareholders.

Key highlights of the company’s performance

Revenue: N58.54 billion (up 34.81 per cent YoY from N43.43 billion)

Gross earnings: N58.55 billion (up 34.81 per cent YoY from N43.43 billion)

Operating profit: N39.31 billion (up 43.08 per cent YoY from N27.47 billion)

Pre-tax profit: N41.18 billion (up 36.81 per cent YoY from N30.10 billion)

Profit after tax: N28.14 billion (up 16.78 per cent YoY from N24.10 billion)

Earnings per share: N1.56 (up 16.42 per cent YoY from N1.34)

Total assets: N1.76 trillion (up 3.51 per cent YoY from N1.70 trillion)

Addressing the media after the AGM, the Chairman of United Capital, Uche Ike, explained that markets—local or global—will always need a financial services powerhouse to offer solutions in asset management and investment banking.

Based on this, he stressed that the company sees many opportunities in the markets and is quite excited about them.

On how to cushion the effect of volatility in the market, he said companies such as United Capital have to invest in the right people with the right understanding of the market and a strong appreciation of risk management, while ensuring they create the right policies and procedures to mitigate risks.

“Most importantly, it is monitoring those risks that may occur. We cannot take away risks; in fact, the easiest way to shut down a business is to say there should be no risks.

“Without risks and challenges, there is no need for a company,” he said.

According to him, the key is knowing what those risks could be, determining if they are likely to crystallize, and deciding what mitigation measures should be put in place.

For him, bringing in the right people, training them, and ensuring proper monitoring, reporting, and board-level oversight will ensure that market developments “do not come as a surprise.”

He opined that while risk avoidance is necessary, risk mitigation is most important.

One of the shareholders, Mrs. Bisi Bakare, who spoke to the media, confirmed that an interim dividend was paid to shareholders last August and, despite the increase in share capital, the company was still able to pay a total dividend of N1 in 2025.

Nairametrics reports that the company’s revenue growth was driven mainly by fee and commission income, which rose to N23.25 billion from N14.58 billion, reflecting increased activity across key business segments.

Of this total, management fees accounted for N10.7 billion, while financial advisory and brokerage fees contributed N4.9 billion and N4.8 billion, respectively, with trustee fees adding N1.4 billion.

Investment-related income also supported performance, as net income from investments stood at N12.6 billion and net trading income reached N17.6 billion, lifting net operating income to N53.5 billion, up 46.44 per cent.