Zenith Bank Plc has confirmed that its founder and chairman, Jim Ovia, will receive about N5.18 billion in interim dividend for the first half of 2025. This payout follows the bank’s robust financial performance during the period.
Ovia directly owns 4.14 billion shares in the bank, giving it access to N1.25 per share, an increase from the N1.00 paid in the same period last year. This figure excludes his indirect holdings of 1.65 billion shares, which would add another N2.06 billion to his dividend earnings.
The bank reported a profit before tax of N625.63 billion for the half year ended June 30, 2025—a 13.95% drop from the N727 billion posted in the same period in 2024. However, gross earnings rose 20% year-on-year to N2.5 trillion, driven mainly by a 60% jump in interest income to N1.8 trillion. Net interest income nearly doubled to N1.4 trillion, while non-interest income hit N613 billion.
Profit after tax came in at N532 billion, with earnings per share (EPS) of N12.95. The bank’s balance sheet stayed strong, with total assets of N31 trillion, deposits of N23 trillion, and a capital adequacy ratio of 26%, well above regulatory limits. Asset quality also improved, as non-performing loans dropped to 3.1%, and the liquidity ratio rose to 69%.
The dividend announcement comes as Zenith celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2025, underscoring its track record of consistently rewarding shareholders.
Jim Ovia has long been recognised as one of Nigeria’s most rewarded investors. For the 2024 financial year, he earned N25.4 billion in dividends following Zenith’s record profit of N1.03 trillion. In 2022 and 2023, he received N16.24 billion and N11.35 billion, respectively, cementing his reputation as one of the country’s top dividend earners.
Ovia, who founded Zenith in 1990 and served as CEO until 2010, has remained central to the bank’s strategic vision as chairman. Beyond finance, his investments and philanthropic efforts extend across real estate, telecommunications, and technology.
