Economy
Despite Challenges, GTBank Optimistic of Strong, Sustainable Returns
By Dipo Olowookere
The management of Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank) Plc has expressed optimism that the company will deliver strong and sustainable returns to shareholders in the midst of the macroeconomic uncertainties that persist in the business environment.
This assurance was given by the Managing Director/CEO of GTBank, Mr Segun Agbaje, while reacting to the financial results of the firm released last week.
Many businesses across the world are gradually getting back on the feet as a result of the devastating effect of the coronavirus disease last year.
In Nigeria, there was an economic recession in the third quarter of 2020 influenced by the pandemic but luckily for the country, it exited in the fourth quarter of the year.
However, the effect of the economic crisis is still being felt and in the first quarter of this year, GTBank did not have good as its profit before tax went down by 7.8 per cent to N53.7 billion from N58.2 billion recorded in the corresponding period of March 2020.
Its deposit liabilities increased by 3.0 per cent from N3.611 trillion in December 2020 to N3.717 trillion in March 2021, whilst the net loan book reduced by 1.4 per cent from N1.663 trillion in December 2020 to N1.639 trillion in March 2021.
However, the balance sheet of GTBank remained well structured and diversified with total assets and shareholders’ funds closing at N4.993 trillion and N837.2 billion respectively.
The full impact Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) remained very strong, closing at 26.1 per cent, while asset quality was sustained as NPL ratio and Cost of Risk (COR) closed at 6.1 per cent and 0.11 per cent in March 2021 from 6.0 per cent and 0.08 per cent in March 2020 respectively.
It is important to note that GTBank continues to post one of the best metrics in the Nigerian banking industry in terms of all financial ratios as the Return on Equity (ROAE) stood at 26.0 per cent, Return on Assets (ROAA) at 4.3 per cent and cost to income ratio at 42.6 per cent.
“We have started off the 2021 financial year on a fair footing and our first-quarter results demonstrate our ability to continue delivering strong and sustainable returns, despite the macroeconomic uncertainties that persist in our business environment.
“This is a reflection of the resilience of our franchise, our prudent approach to risk management and the efficacy of our digital-first customer-centric business strategy,” Mr Agbaje stated.
“Looking forward, we are optimistic about the long-term value that we will continue to create as an organization.
“We strongly believe that our new growth strategy, together with the enduring loyalty of our customers, the hard work and dedication of our staff and the unwavering support we continue to enjoy from our shareholders, will enable us drive and deliver best-in-class financial solutions for people, businesses and communities across Africa and beyond,” the banker further said.
GTBank, renowned for its forward-thinking approach to financial services and customer engagement, was recently ranked Africa’s Most Admired Finance Brand in the 10th-anniversary rankings of Brand Africa 100: Africa’s Best Brands, the pre-eminent survey and ranking of the Top 100 admired brands in Africa.
The lender was also awarded the Best Bank in Nigeria by Euromoney Magazine for a record-extending tenth time and the Euromoney Excellence in Leadership Africa Award for its swift reaction in responding to the COVID-19 crisis and for addressing the impact of the pandemic on its customers and communities.
By Adedapo Adesanya
Price appreciation recorded by three securities raised the NASD Over-the-Counter (OTC) Securities Exchange by 0.84 per cent on Thursday, May 8.
FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc appreciated by N2.20 to close at N41.03 per share compared with the preceding day’s value of N38.83 per share, Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS) Plc exchanged by N2.17 to trade at N23.88 per unit versus N21.71 per unit, and Afriland Properties Plc added N1.07 to settle at N17.45 per share, in contrast to Wednesday’s price of N16.38 per share.
On the flip side, the price of Geo-Fluids Plc went down by 8 Kobo to end at N1.92 per unit compared with the N2.00 per unit it was traded at midweek.
At the close of transactions, the market capitalisation of the trading platform went up by N16.27 billion to N1.944 trillion from N1.927 trillion and the NASD Unlisted Security Index (NSI) rose by 27.80 points to 3,320.16 points from the previous session’s 3,292.36 points.
During the trading session, there was a 58,260.6 per cent surge in the volume of securities transacted in the session to 346.3 million units from the 593,373 units transacted in the previous trading day.
Equally, there was a 4,832.3 per cent rise in the value of securities traded during the trading day to N882.8 million from N17.9 million, but the number of deals dropped 40.7 per cent to 16 deals from 27 deals previously recorded on Wednesday.
Impresit Bakolori Plc finished the day as the most active stock by volume on a year-to-date basis with 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million, followed by Geo-Fluids Plc with 265.8 million units valued at N469.5 million, and Okitipupa Plc with 153.6 million units sold for N4.9 billion.
Okitipupa Plc also remained as the most traded stock by value on a year-to-date basis with 153.6 million valued at N4.9 billion, trailed by FrieslandCampina Wamco Nigeria Plc with 19.5 million units sold for N750.2 million and Impresit Bakolori Plc with 533.9 million units worth N520.9 million.
By Adedapo Adesanya
The Naira traded mixed in the foreign exchange (FX) market on Thursday, appreciated against the US Dollar at the Nigerian Autonomous Foreign Exchange Market (NAFEM) and depreciating in the black market.
In the parallel market, the Nigerian currency weakened against the greenback during the trading day by N5 to sell for N1,625/$1, in contrast to the N1,620/$1 it was traded a day earlier.
However, in the official market, the domestic currency improved its value against its American counterpart by 0.1 per cent or 89 Kobo to trade at N1,609.57/$1 compared with the N1,610.46/$1 it was exchanged at midweek.
In the same spot market, the Naira tumbled against the Pound Sterling on Thursday by N7.75 to settle at N2,145.48/£1 versus Wednesday’s closing price of N2,137.73/£1 and gained N3.35 against the Euro to close at N1,818.41/€1 compared with the previous day’s N1,821.41/€1.
Sustained pressure on the country’s external reserves and a widening demand-supply gap in the FX market have weakened the Naira in the past few sessions.
However, there is evidence that debt repayments made from the external reserves have yielded outcome as the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has removed Nigeria from its Total IMF Credit Outstanding list after repaying the $3.4 billion pandemic loan.
Nigeria was among the countries that relied on the IMF for funding support and it has repaid the loan, prompting the lender to remove its name from the debtors’ list.
The journey towards clearing this debt began in earnest in 2023, when the nation’s IMF debt stood at $1.61 billion, reaching $472 million by January 2025.
Meanwhile, the cryptocurrency market soared yesterday in response to US President Donald Trump’s hyping up a trade deal with the United Kingdom, which offered the market some respite as it signaled reducing risk.
Bitcoin (BTC) was up by 4.3 per cent to $103,130.67, Ethereum (ETH) surged by 18.1 per cent to $2,249.11, Cardano (ADA) rose by 9.1 per cent to $0.7675, Dogecoin (DOGE) appreciated by 8.8 per cent to $0.1965, and Solana (SOL) jumped by 8.7 per cent to $163.25.
Further, Ripple (XRP) grew by 5.9 per cent to $2.30, Litecoin (LTC) went up by 4.3 per cent to $95.59, and Binance Coin (BNB) increased by 2.9 per cent to $628.48, while the US Dollar Tether (USDT) and the US Dollar Coin (USDC) closed lat at $1.00 each.
By Adedapo Adesanya
crude oil prices were up by around 3 per cent on Thursday following a breakthrough in looming trade talks between the US and China, the world’s two largest oil consumers.
Brent crude futures gained $1.72 or 2.8 per cent to trade at $62.84 a barrel and the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures rose by $1.84 or 3.2 per cent to finish at $59.91 per barrel.
The US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, will meet with China’s top economic official in Switzerland on May 10 for negotiations over a trade war disrupting the global economy.
Optimism around those talks was providing support to the market just as President Donald Trump on Thursday unveiled the broad outline of a trade agreement with the United Kingdom.
The deal is the first by the US with a country whose imports were subject to new tariffs imposed by Trump in early April.
The trade deal leaves in place a 10 per cent tariff on goods imported from the UK while Britain agreed to lower its tariffs to 1.8 per cent from 5.1 per cent and provide greater access to US goods.
He said that the deal includes “billions of dollars of increased market access for American exports,” and that the UK will “reduce or eliminate numerous nontariff barriers that unfairly discriminated against American products.”
On the supply front, the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies in OPEC+ will increase its oil output, pressuring prices.
According to Reuters, OPEC oil output edged lower in April despite a scheduled output hike taking effect, led by a cut in Venezuelan supply on renewed US attempts to curb the flows and smaller drops in Iraq and Libya.
Market analysts warned that a US-Iran nuclear deal could drive Brent prices down toward $50 per barrel on increased global supply, but without a deal prices could rise to over $70.
US sanctions on two small Chinese refiners for buying Iranian oil have created difficulties receiving crude and led them to sell product under other names.
This is evidence of the disruption that the US stepped-up pressure is inflicting on Iran’s biggest oil buyer.
Five independent refineries in the Shandong province stopped buying Iranian crude in April for fear of being next on the list of sanctions.
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