By Kayode Ogunwale

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO) has released its Unaudited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements for the period ended March 31, 2025, to the Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX) and London Stock Exchange (LSE).

The Group reported profit before tax of ₦300.4billion on the back of strong performance posted on the core earnings lines of interest income which grew y-o-y by 41.1% and fee income up by 41.2%. The strong performance enabled the group to douse the impact of the ₦331.6billion fair value gains recognised in Q1-2024 which did not recur in Q1-2025.

The Group’s loan book (net) increased by 15.6% from ₦2.79trillion recorded as at December 2024 to ₦3.22trillion in March 2025, while deposit liabilities grew by 7.7% from ₦10.40trillion to ₦11.20trillion during the same period. The Group recorded growths across all its asset lines and continues to maintain a robust, well-structured, highly de-risked, and well-diversified balance sheet in all the jurisdictions wherein it operates. Total assets and shareholders’ funds closed at ₦15.9trillion and ₦3.0trillion, respectively. Full Impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very robust and strong, closing at 34.6%, equally asset quality improved as evidenced by IFRS 9 Stage 3 Loans which closed at 3.3% at Bank Level and 4.5% % at Group in Q1-2025 (Bank -3.5% (Group- 5.2% in December 2024) and Cost of Risk (COR) closed at 0.4% from 4.9% in December 2024.

Commenting on the results, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO), Mr. Segun Agbaje, said; “Our Q1 2025 performance reflects the strength of all our business verticals and our capacity to generate strong and sustainable earnings. While the fair value gains of N331.6billion reported in Q1 2024 did not recur this quarter, the Group recorded solid growth across most income lines, underpinned by a diversified revenue base and a healthy, well-structured balance sheet.”

He further stated that, “We remain optimistic about the year ahead. The fundamentals of our business are strong, our customer base continues to grow, and we are executing with discipline across our strategic priorities. Importantly, at this pace, the Group is well-positioned to deliver the full year PBT of 2024 at the very minimum by the end of the 2025 FYE.”

Overall, the Group continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian Financial Services industry in terms of key financial ratios i.e., Pre-Tax Return on Equity (ROAE) of 42.2%, Pre-Tax Return on Assets (ROAA) of 7.8%, Full Impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) of 34.6% and Cost to Income ratio of 29.0%.

Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc (GTCO Plc) is a leading financial services group with operations across Africa and the United Kingdom. Renowned for its strong corporate governance, innovative financial solutions, and customer-centric approach, GTCO Plc provides a wide range of banking and non-banking services, including payments, funds management, and pension fund administration. The Group is committed to delivering long-term value to stakeholders while driving growth and development across its markets.