Ecobank Resumes Dividend Payments with $40m Payout as Profits Hit Record High
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI) has resumed dividend payments to shareholders for the first time since 2022, following a record financial performance that underscores the success of its Growth, Transformation and Returns (GTR) strategy.
At the Group’s 2026 Annual General Meeting held in Lomé, shareholders approved a final dividend of US$40 million, equivalent to 0.16 US cents per share, marking a significant milestone for the pan-African banking group.
The dividend approval comes on the back of ETI’s strongest financial performance in recent years, with Profit Before Tax rising by 21 percent to a record US$801 million for the year ended December 31, 2025. Net revenues also grew by 17 percent to US$2.45 billion, while pre-provision, pre-tax operating profit increased by 29 percent to US$1.265 billion, reflecting strong earnings growth across the Group’s operations.
The performance provides fresh evidence that the bank’s GTR strategy, which focuses on strengthening capital, improving asset quality, enhancing operational efficiency and delivering sustainable shareholder returns, is beginning to generate tangible results.
ETI’s capital position remained robust during the period, with a capital adequacy ratio of 16.7 percent, significantly above regulatory requirements. The Group also improved efficiency, recording a cost-to-income ratio of 48.3 percent, its best on record.
Speaking at the AGM, Chairman Papa Madiaw Ndiaye described the dividend resumption as a direct reflection of the strength and resilience of Ecobank’s pan-African business model.
“Our strong 2025 financial performance has marked the return to dividend payments to our shareholders. This US$40 million dividend is a direct reflection of the resilience of our unrivalled pan-African model, institutional maturity and our staff’s skill and discipline,” he said.
According to him, Ecobank’s diversified presence across multiple African markets has enabled the Group to capture growth opportunities while maintaining resilience through varying economic cycles.
Group Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Awori said shareholder approval of the dividend and other resolutions reaffirmed confidence in the bank’s long-term strategy.
“Our shareholders once again strongly reaffirmed their confidence in our Growth, Transformation and Returns strategy. Thanks to our deliberate and structured approach to growth, we are bringing value to our shareholders while transforming payments and trade across our 34 markets,” he noted.
Beyond rewarding shareholders, the results highlight Ecobank’s growing role in facilitating trade, payments and investment across Africa at a time when regional integration efforts under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) are gaining momentum. The bank currently operates in 34 African markets and serves more than 30 million customers through its corporate, commercial, consumer and investment banking businesses.
The return to dividend payments is likely to be welcomed by investors as a signal of renewed financial strength and confidence in the Group’s ability to sustain growth while delivering value to shareholders.
