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Reading: Zenith Bank Splurges N125.59bn In Massive Dividend Payout For Shareholders
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© OKN MEDIA PUBLISHING 2022 - All rights reserved
Business

Zenith Bank Splurges N125.59bn In Massive Dividend Payout For Shareholders

Muhammad A. Aliyu
By Muhammad A. Aliyu
Published: May 9, 2024
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7 Min Read
Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR (Centre) flanked by the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu (Left) and the Deputy Managing Director, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON (Right) during the 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday.
Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, Jim Ovia, CFR (Centre) flanked by the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive, Dr. Ebenezer Onyeagwu (Left) and the Deputy Managing Director, Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON (Right) during the 33rd Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the bank held at The Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos yesterday.
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Shareholders of Zenith Bank Plc, at the 33rd annual general meeting (AGM) held in Lagos, on Wednesday, approved the proposed final dividend payment of N3.50 per share, bringing the total dividend for the 2023 finan­cial year to N4.00 per share, with a total value of N125.59 billion, which is the highest dividend payout by any bank.

In his opening statement at the annual general meeting, Dr. Jim Ovia, Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank Plc, thanked the shareholders for their unflinching support and loyalty to the Zenith brand which has been instrumental to the bank’s consistent superior performance.

The Group Managing Direc­tor/Chief Executive Officer, Dr Ebenezer Onyeagwu, thanked the Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, for his mentorship, which has been instrumental to his success in the last five years as CEO, and for providing the pedestal for the bank’s continued superior performance. ­

According to Onyeagwu, “As I prepare to pass the baton to Dame (Dr.) Adaora Umeoji, OON, I am confident in the bank’s trajectory under her leadership. I would like to express my profound gratitude to our Founder and Chairman, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, and to the board, shareholders, customers, and staff for their steadfast sup­port throughout my tenure.

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“I earnestly request that you extend the same level of support to my successor. It has been a remarkable journey, and I am immensely proud of what we have accomplished together. As I commence the mandatory reg­ulatory cooling-off period, I am filled with optimism for Zenith Bank’s future, assured that we are on the path to even greater success.”

Speaking on the dividend pay­out, Mrs. Bisi Bakare, National Coordinator of the Pragmatic Shareholders Association of Ni­geria, expressed her delight in the exceptional performance of the bank, as evidenced by the numer­ous awards received during the 2023 financial year.

She remarked, “We sharehold­ers are very pleased today to re­ceive a final dividend of N3.50 kobo from Zenith Bank. Following an interim dividend of 50 kobo paid last December, the total dividend for the 2023 annual general meet­ing amounts to N4.00— the highest in the banking sector to date.

“We truly appreciate this and are optimistic that the transition to a holding company will bring even greater returns. Zenith Bank’s numerous accolades this year clearly position it as the leading bank in the country. We anticipate that the 2024 AGM, marking the first year as a hold­ing company, will be even more promising for Zenith.”

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At the AGM, Dr. Faruk Umar, President of the Association of the Rights of Nigerian Sharehold­ers (AARNS), expressed his grati­tude to the chairman for facilitat­ing a seamless succession plan.

He stated, “The bank has per­formed exceptionally well, par­ticularly in terms of succession planning. It’s encouraging to see the new Managing Director pro­moted from within, reinforcing our belief in the bank’s leader­ship development. This internal promotion strategy motivates our staff, giving them confidence that they can aspire to the highest levels within the bank.”

Chief Timothy Adesiyan, President of the Shareholders Solidarity Association of Nige­ria, praised the chairman and management of Zenith Bank for their consistent delivery of value to shareholders.

He noted, “The bank’s rapid growth can be attributed to the diligent oversight by our Found­er, who is also a core investor and actively monitors all operations. This growth is further supported by our adherence to strict corpo­rate governance principles. The bank’s performance metrics are clearly delineated and managed by dedicated committees, ensur­ing accountability and respon­siveness. As a stakeholder, I am very pleased with their perfor­mance and attentive response to any concerns raised.”

In spite of challenging mac­roeconomic conditions coupled with economic headwinds, Zenith Bank Group achieved a remark­able triple-digit growth of 125% in gross earnings, from N945.6 billion in the previous year to N2.132 trillion in 2023. This was driven by a 112% YoY growth in interest income and a 141% YoY growth in non-interest income.

Customer deposits grew by 69%, reflecting the bank’s mar­ket leadership and customers’ trust. Operating expenses grew by 32% YoY. Total assets rose by 66%, largely due to growth in to­tal deposits and the revaluation of foreign currency deposits.

In 2024, Zenith Bank Group plans to expand its reach following its restructuring into a holding company structure, adding new verticals to its businesses and pur­suing growth in all chosen mar­kets, locally and internationally.

Zenith Bank’s track record of excellent performance has con­tinued to earn the brand numer­ous awards, including being rec­ognised as Best Bank in Nigeria for the fourth time in five years, from 2020 to 2022 and in 2024, in the Global Finance World’s Best Banks Awards; the Best Bank for Digital Solutions in Nigeria in the Euromoney Awards 2023, being listed in the World Finance Top 100 Global Companies in 2023; being recognised as the Number One Bank in Nigeria by Tier-1 Capital, for the 14th consecutive year, in the 2023 Top 1000 World Banks Ranking published by The Banker Magazine; Best Commer­cial Bank, Nigeria, for three con­secutive years from 2021 to 2023, in the World Finance Banking Awards; Best Corporate Gover­nance Bank, Nigeria in the World Finance Corporate Governance Awards 2022 and 2023; Bank of the Year (Nigeria) in The Bank­er’s Bank of the Year Awards 2020 and 2022; Best in Corporate Governance’ Financial Services’ Africa, for four successive years from 2020 to 2023, by the Ethical Boardroom; Most Sustainable Bank, Nigeria in the Internation­al Banker 2023 Banking Awards; Best Commercial Bank, Nigeria and Best Innovation in Retail Banking, Nigeria in the Inter­national Banker 2022 Banking Awards, among others.

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ByMuhammad A. Aliyu
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Muhammad Ameer Aliyu, is a prolific journalist who joined Okay Nigeria in 2015 with the aim staying committed to bringing more positive growth to the digital news platform. He is the Senior Editor at Okay Nigeria.
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