Ecobank posts $657m nine months pre-tax profit, fastest revenue growth in a decade

Ecobank Group has reported a robust financial performance for the first nine months of 2025, with pre-tax profit rising 34% year-on-year to $657 million and net income reaching $1.8 billion. The pan-African banking group also delivered its fastest revenue growth in a decade, up 18% to $1.8 billion, driven by disciplined cost control, strategic execution, diversified business lines and and the targeted execution of the Group’s “Growth, Transformation, and Returns” (GTR) strategy.

Earnings per share climbed 36% to 1.29 US cents, while return on tangible equity (ROTE) stood at 31.2%, underscoring the Group’s profitability. Operational efficiency hit a historic high, with the cost-to-income ratio falling to 48.0% from 54.5% last year, and operating leverage reaching 14%.

Commenting on the result, Jeremy Awori, Group CEO of Ecobank, stated: “ We are pleased to report strong results for the nine months ending September 2025. Our return on tangible equity was 31.2%, tangible book value per share increased by 83%, and profit before tax rose 34% to $657 million. Our cost-to-income ratio (CIR) improved from 54.5% in the same period last year to 48.0%. These results demonstrate the ongoing success of our Growth, Transformation, and Returns (GTR) strategy, the advantages of our diversified and synergistic business model, and a continuously improving economic environment across our key markets.”

Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) posted pre-tax profit of $526 million, up 43%, supported by robust origination and cross-selling. Consumer and Commercial Banking (CCB) achieved $354 million profit before tax, up 21%, driven by a clear segmentation strategy, growth in deposits, digital channels, and customer engagement initiatives.

Segment Performance

• Corporate & Investment Banking (CIB): Pre-tax profit surged 43% to $526 million, with revenues up 18%, driven by disciplined transaction execution and enhanced product offerings.
• Commercial & Commercial Banking (CCB): Pre-tax profit rose 21% to $354 million, thanks to a clear segmentation strategy, deposit growth, digital channels, and innovative customer engagement initiatives.
• Payments, Fintech & Cross-Border Transfers: Revenue grew 13% to $221 million, accounting for 13% of Group revenue driven primarily by a 20% increase in disbursements and a 14% increase in the Cards business. 

Commenting further, Awori added: “We are encouraged by our group-wide revenue growth of 18% (totaling $1.8 billion),which has been the fastest in a decade, with each line of business performing well. In Corporate and Investment banking (CIB), revenues grew by 18%, supported by focused client account planning, strong origination and execution discipline, and better cross-selling and product offerings. In Consumer and Commercial Banking (CCB), revenues increased by 13%, driven by significant growth in active customers, deposits, and investments in various initiatives aimed at serving our customers better. We invested in and improved our digital channels and mobile banking, as well as approximately 400 new state-of-the-artATMs across our network, which will enhance the customer experience and help drive financial inclusion. We have also significantly enhanced our Ellevate program to support women entrepreneurs throughout Africa, renewed focus on theagricultural sector, and improved digital account opening, wealth management services, and lending.

In our Payments, Fintech, and Cross-border Remittances business, revenues rose by 13% to $221 million, which accounted for 13% of our group-wide revenues, primarily driven by a 20% increase in Disbursement Services and a 14% growth in Cards.”

Balance Sheet Strength

Gross loans rose by $1.7 billion to $12.2 billion, while customer deposits increased by $3.7 billion to $24.1 billion. The non-performing loan ratio improved to 5.3%, down from 7.0% in Q1 2024. Capital buffers remained solid, with a CET1 ratio of 12.9% and total capital adequacy ratio of 16.8%, both well above regulatory thresholds.

Non-interest income contributed 42.4% of total revenue, with payments accounting for 29.7%. Ecobank also invested in 400 new ATMs, enhanced mobile banking, and expanded its Ellevate program to support women entrepreneurs.

As Ecobank marks its 40th anniversary, Awori concluded: “We are pleased about the significant progress we are making on our strategic priorities, transformative initiatives, and partnerships that will enable us to grow faster in the future and provide more efficient and better customer services. As Ecobank begins its 40th anniversary celebrations this October, we are grateful to all those who have helped build the foundation upon which we continue to deliver financial solutions to businesses, governments, and households, fostering economic and financial integration across Africa.”

For full results and investor information, visit www.ecobank.com/investorrelations.