Zenith Bank proposes 20% higher interim dividend as H1 pre-tax profit rises

Zenith Bank reported profit before tax of N637.6 billion for the six months ended 30 June 2026, a 1.9 percent increase from N625.6 billion in the same period a year earlier. The figures were reported from the bank's audited half-year financial statements released through the Nigerian Exchange.

The board proposed an interim dividend of N1.50 per share, compared with N1.25 for the first half of 2025. The proposed payout is 20 percent higher year on year; it is a board proposal, not a final shareholder-approved distribution.

Pre-tax growth, weaker net earnings

The modest increase before tax did not translate into higher profit after tax. Contemporary coverage of the results reported an approximately 19 percent decline in net profit, leaving shareholders with a mixed half-year picture: slightly higher pre-tax earnings alongside a lower bottom line.

The difference matters when assessing the dividend proposal. A higher interim payment can support shareholder returns, but it should be read alongside the bank's after-tax performance and the full-year results rather than as evidence that every measure of profitability improved.

What the results establish

The reported comparison is limited to the six-month periods ending 30 June 2025 and 30 June 2026. It does not, by itself, establish that the earnings trend will continue through the second half or that the proposed dividend will be repeated. Investors will need the bank's subsequent disclosures to assess the durability of earnings and distributions.

Sources

Nairametrics, “Zenith Bank H1 2026 pre-tax profit rises 1.9% to N637.6 billion” (10 October 2026); Tribune Online, “Zenith Bank’s H1 pretax profit hits N637bn, raises interim dividend 20 percent” (12 October 2026). Both reports attribute the results to Zenith Bank's audited half-year statements.