Zenith Bank has pledged bigger dividends after paying N195.67 billion for 2024.
NaijaOnPoint Nigeria reports that Zenith Bank Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to delivering exceptional value to shareholders, announcing a total dividend payout of ₦195.67 billion for the 2024 financial year. At its 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held Tuesday, April 29, 2025, in Lagos, shareholders approved a final dividend of ₦4.00 per share, bringing the total dividend for the year to ₦5.00 per share.
Addressing the AGM for the first time as Group Managing Director/CEO, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, expressed deep appreciation to shareholders for their continued trust. She pledged a “quantum leap” in future dividend payments, noting that Zenith Bank remains well-capitalized and committed to organic growth, operational efficiency, and sustainability.
“Zenith Bank is not only meeting expectations—we are determined to exceed them,” Umeoji said. “Having completed our recapitalization exercise with 160% subscription, we are under no pressure to raise more funds. We will continue to build on our legacy of rewarding shareholders consistently.”
Zenith Bank’s Founder and Chairman, Jim Ovia, CFR, thanked shareholders for their unwavering support, noting that despite global headwinds in 2024, the bank leveraged opportunities across subsidiaries to deliver resilient performance.
The bank reported gross earnings of ₦3.97 trillion for 2024—an 86% increase from ₦2.13 trillion in 2023—driven by a 138% rise in interest income and a 45% growth in customer deposits. Total assets surged by 47%, underscoring the institution’s strong liquidity and sound balance sheet management.
Shareholders expressed strong approval of the bank’s results. Dr. Faruk Umar, President of the Association of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders, praised Umeoji’s leadership and the bank’s record-setting profitability, saying, “Zenith Bank has now joined the trillion-naira profit club, delivering over ₦1.3 trillion in pre-tax profits—this is phenomenal.”
Other shareholder leaders echoed similar sentiments. Alhaji Otunba Mukhtar Mukhtar lauded Zenith’s unmatched consistency in dividend payments, while Ambassador Dr. Olatunde Okelana described his investment in the bank as the best financial decision of his life. “99.9% of my savings is in Zenith Bank,” he stated.
Chief Timothy Adesiyan, President of the Shareholders Solidarity Association, emphasized the bank’s reliability: “If you keep your investments in Zenith Bank, you can go to sleep. Your money is in safe hands.”
Zenith Bank’s industry dominance continues to be recognized globally. It was named Nigeria’s number one bank by Tier-1 capital for the 15th consecutive year in The Banker’s 2024 Top 1000 World Banks ranking. The bank also won The Banker’s Bank of the Year (Nigeria) award in 2020, 2022, and 2024, and was named Best Bank in Nigeria four times between 2020 and 2024 by Global Finance.
With strong fundamentals, robust leadership, and unwavering shareholder confidence, Zenith Bank is positioning itself to deliver even greater value in the years ahead.