By Ghazali Ibrahim
Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has released its audited financial results for the year ended December 31, 2025, reporting solid performance driven by growth in its core business lines and reaffirming its ability to deliver consistent value to shareholders.
The Group recorded a profit before tax of ₦1.23 trillion, supported by a 23.2% increase in interest income and a 25.9% rise in fee income. While this is slightly below the ₦1.27 trillion posted in 2024 which included significant one-off fair value gains the 2025 performance highlights the strength and sustainability of GTCO’s core earnings.
Profit after tax stood at ₦865.75 billion, compared to ₦1.02 trillion in the previous year. The decline reflects the impact of new fiscal policies, particularly taxation on investment securities.
However, the Group’s underlying earnings remained strong, driven by steady growth in operating income.
GTCO maintained a solid and diversified balance sheet, with total assets rising to ₦17.8 trillion and shareholders’ funds reaching ₦3.4 trillion. Its loan book expanded by 12.4% to ₦3.13 trillion, while deposit liabilities grew significantly by 23.8% to ₦12.87 trillion.
Asset quality also improved during the period, with non-performing loans declining and cost of risk dropping to 2.2% from 4.9% in 2024. The Group’s Capital Adequacy Ratio remained robust at 43.8%, underscoring its financial strength.
In line with its strong performance, GTCO declared a record dividend payout of ₦12.76 per share, reflecting confidence in its long-term earnings potential.
Commenting on the results, Group CEO Segun Agbaje said the company remains focused on building sustainable earnings through its core banking and ecosystem businesses.
He noted that despite regulatory pressures and economic shifts, GTCO’s disciplined strategy continues to deliver strong outcomes.
The Group also maintained impressive financial ratios, including a return on equity of 28.3%, return on assets of 5.3%, and a cost-to-income ratio of 27.9%, positioning it among the top performers in Nigeria’s financial services sector.
