FCMB Group Plc has released its audited group results for December 31, 2022, reporting a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N36.6 billion, representing a 61percent Year-on-Year (YoY) growth.
Double-digit growth was recorded across all business segments, with the banking group growing by 71.7percent, while the consumer finance, investment management, and investment banking segments grew by 25.6percent, 45.7percent, and 26.7percent, respectively.
The company, which proposed a dividend of 25kobo per share, also delivered impressive environmental, social and governance results in climate action, financial inclusion, food security, community initiatives, customer acquisition, and digital transformation. It switched 12 additional branches to solar power in 2022, removing 75% of its branch network from grid/diesel generators, and provided micro-loans totalling N13 billion to 120,000 MSMEs. The agency banking arm extended its partnership to 100,000, acquiring over 211,000 customers. Working alongside partners, FCMB supported 280,000 smallholder farmers, created over 600,000 jobs, and helped deliver Africa’s first cassava-based Sorbitol Factory.
The Group’s impressive financial results also showed a 35.5percent growth in gross revenue to N283 billion from N212 billion the previous year. It was driven by a 35.5percent growth in interest income and a 26.9percent growth in non-interest income. Customer confidence remained strong as deposits rose 25.1percent to N1.94 trillion in December 2022 from N1.55 trillion the previous year, while loans and advances witnessed a 12.4percent surge to N1.20 trillion as against N1.06 trillion in 2021. The Group’s total assets increased by 19.6percent from N2.50 trillion to N2.98 trillion in December 2022.
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Investment Banking (advisory and primary debt and equity capital markets) transaction value consummated by the Group rose to N857.1 billion in 2022, compared to N582.9 billion in 2021. This delivered a 47percent growth in fees from capital raise and financial advisory services over the period. The financial service Group’s Assets Under Management (AUM) also sustained its growth trajectory rising to N783.7 billion in 2022, up by 49percent from N525.7 the prior year.
Net interest income grew 34.2% to N122.0 billion for the first twelve months of 2022, compared to N90.9 billion in 2021. This was driven by a growth in the yield on earning assets from 11percent to 12.7percent, which increased Net Interest Margin (NIM) from 6.2percent to 7percent.
The overall customer base of FCMB Group grew by 18.4percent to 10.9 million, as it acquired an additional 1.7 million customers in the period, including 250,000 customers from Pension Fund Administrator (PFA acquisition), compared to 900,000 in 2021.
This Group’s digital transformation drive witnessed enhanced performance across all business segments. Digital Payments, Wealth, and Lending continued to empower more customers, resulting in a 42percent growth in digital revenues from N26.1 billion in 2021 to N37.1 billion in 2022. Thus, digital revenues accounted for 13percent of gross earnings from the 12percent contribution in 2021.
In digital retail lending, First City Monument Bank and Credit Direct Limited, subsidiaries of the Group, underwrote and disbursed over 962,000 loans, totalling N42.1 billion, as at December 31, 2022, a growth of 17.1percent and 24.9percent, respectively, from the prior year. Through the Bank’s digital SME lending channels, over 21,000 loans, totalling N165.2 billion, were accessed, underwritten, and disbursed, a growth of 1.9percent and 43.7percent, respectively.
