Africa-Press – Kenya. Equity Group shareholders will pocket a dividend of Sh5.75 per share after the financial services company posted a record Sh75.5 billion net profit for the year ended December 2025.
This is a 35.3 per cent growth in dividends compared to the Sh4.25 per share it paid for the year 2024, as recommended by directors.
The total payout by the Kenyan lender, which has spread its wings in the Great Lakes region, is set at Sh21.7 billion up from 2024’s Sh16 billion.
Speaking during an investor briefing in Nairobi yesterday, managing director and CEO James Mwangi said the higher payout comes with the strong performance, where year-on-year net profit grew from Sh48.8 billion the previous year, a 55 per cent jump.
“Equity has broken the corporate record for profitability. No bank or company in East and Central Africa has ever recorded a profit after tax of Sh75.5 billion. We are now the most profitable company in the region,” Mwangi said.
KCB Group, which also has a regional presence last week, announced a net profit of Sh68.4 billion for 2025.
Safaricom which has for long dominated as the country’s most profitable firm had a net income of Sh69.8 billion for the full-year ending March 31, 2025, with latest performance yet to be announced.
Equity’s profit growth came as regional subsidiaries continued to deliver strong growth led by loan expansion in DRC, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The overall growth has been pegged on the Group’s business expansion and transformation, diversified revenue growth, enhanced efficiency and robust regional contributions.
The balance sheet expanded by nine per cent to Sh1.97 trillion during the period under review from Sh1.8 trillion in 2024.
Customer deposits rose four per cent to Sh1.46 trillion up from Sh1.40 trillion the previous year. It’s loan book expanded eight per cent to Sh882.5 billion up from 819.2 billion.
The Group closed the year with 22.4 million customer accounts, supported by a strong regional distribution and digital ecosystem.
Strong revenue performance saw net interest income grow 17 per cent to Sh126.9 billion. Non‐funded income increased seven per cent to Sh90.8 billion, and total income increase by 12 per cent to Sh217.7 billion.
Mwangi noted the Group’s strategic transformation, driven by diversified revenue streams, improved efficiency and growing contributions from regional subsidiaries.
“The 2025 performance reflects the success of our deliberate transformation into a diversified, regional financial services group,” he said.
Operational efficiency improved significantly, with the cost‐to‐income ratio falling to 51 per cent from 58.2 per cent, driven by continued migration to self‐service channels, productivity gains and tighter cost discipline.
This was supported by group-wide shared services and digital infrastructure with over 98 per cent of customer transactions conducted outside branches.
Up to 88.4 per cent of transactions were processed through digital channels, reflecting continued demand for digital services in financial sector.
Equity Bank Kenya reported a 63 per cent rise in profit after tax to Sh39.2 billion compared to Sh24.1 billion in 2024. This was driven by a 28 per cent increase in net interest income and a 37 per cent reduction in interest expense.
Regional subsidiaries now contribute about half of Equity’s banking profitability. In the DRC, profit after tax rose 58 per cent to Sh24.7 billion, supported by 17 per cent growth in loan book.
Uganda’s profit after tax jumped to Sh3.6 billion, while Rwanda posted profit after tax of Sh5.4 billion.Tanzania’s profit after tax grew 125 per cent to Sh2.7 billion.
Meanwhile, Equity Insurance Group continued its strong expansion, driven by newly acquired life, general and health underwriting licenses.
Gross written premiums rose by 75 per cent to Sh9.17 billion, delivering profit before tax growth of 36 per cent to Sh2 billion, and a 150 per cent rise in insurance revenue to Sh 3.57 billion.
Mwangi said the Group remains focused on its 2030 strategy which positions the organisation for transformative, continent‐wide growth.
Anchored in the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), the Group aims to operate in 15 countries and serve 100 million customers by 2030.
This, as Africa continues to show strong economic momentum, with 11 of the world’s 20 fastest‐growing economies in 2025, including South Sudan, Rwanda, and Uganda.
A minerals boom is lifting growth in DR Congo, Tanzania, and Uganda, while high gold, copper, and coffee prices, combined with low oil and wheat prices and a weaker US dollar, are supporting East African economies.
Although geopolitical risks have risen due to the Iran conflict, the impact is expected to be temporary.
