Shareholders hail Zenith Bank FY 2004 performance, approve N195.67bn dividend

Shareholders of Zenith Bank Plc have approved a total dividend payout of N195.67 billion for the 2024 financial year—N5.00 per share—at the bank’s 34th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, at the Civic Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

This includes a final dividend of N4.00 per share, following an earlier interim dividend.

The Founder and Chairman of Zenith Bank, Dr. Jim Ovia, CFR, expressed gratitude to shareholders for their unwavering support, noting that despite global challenges in 2024, the bank harnessed opportunities across its subsidiaries to post resilient results.

Addressing shareholders for the first time in her new role, the Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Dame Dr. Adaora Umeoji, OON, pledged continued growth and value delivery.

“Zenith Bank is focused on building an efficient, sustainable, and resilient institution. We have successfully completed our recapitalization, achieving 160 per cent subscription. We are capital-sufficient and committed to organic growth,” she said.

Highlighting the bank’s strong financials, Umeoji emphasized a consistent upward dividend trajectory, promising to maintain and improve returns to shareholders.

Dr. Faruk Umar, President, Association for the Advancement of Rights of Nigerian Shareholders (AARNS), praised Umeoji’s leadership, noting that “all financial indices have moved into trillions,” and commended the bank’s unprecedented recapitalization success.

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Alhaji Otunba Mukhtar Mukhtar, Chairman, Trusted Shareholders Association of Nigeria, said: “Zenith Bank’s dividend consistency is unmatched in Nigeria. Their Profit Before Tax has now crossed the ₦1.3 trillion mark—very commendable.”

Amb. Dr. Olatunde Okelana, a traditional ruler from Oyo State, hailed the bank’s investment returns, saying, “99.9% of my savings is in Zenith Bank. It’s the best place to invest.”

Chief Timothy Adesiyan, President, Shareholders Solidarity Association of Nigeria, noted the bank’s reliability: “You can go to sleep with your investments in Zenith Bank. They always deliver.”

Zenith Bank Group posted a massive 86% growth in gross earnings, rising from N2.13 trillion in 2023 to N3.97 trillion in 2024. Interest income surged 138%, fueled by investments in high-yield government instruments and an expanded loan book.

With solid fundamentals, visionary leadership, and shareholder loyalty, Zenith Bank remains one of Nigeria’s most trusted and high-performing financial institutions.