Unity Bank Plc has posted gross earnings of N59.3 billion for the full year ended December 31, 2023, representing a growth of 3.84 percent year-on-year.
The retail lender disclosed this in its audited accounts for the 2023 financial year submitted to the NGX Group Limited on Monday.
The Bank also recorded improvements across key performance indicators, including a significant appreciation of customer deposits by 23 percent to N402.9 billion from N327.4 billion within the period under review – an indication of sustained retail growth and customer confidence.
Other key highlights of the full-year results include the total assets which stood at N472.5 billion; net fee and income commission, N5.2 billion and an increase in interest income by 9.6 percent to 53.7 billion from N48.8 billion within the period.
Commenting on the result, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Unity Bank Plc, Mrs. Oluwatomi Somefun, said the Bank had issued a profit alert to reflect revaluation loss arising from Naira devaluation which was due to acute shortage of Forex that created an inclement business environment and, on the aggregate, set in an economic headwind. She noted, however, that in the full-year statement, this has bottomed out and the key performance indicators are rebounding from the low level of growth and negative trends that characterized the year.
“As we begin to see the margins being closed, it is an indication that the measures being taken to revamp all aspects of the business are being well received by the market: be it workable recapitalization plan, aggressive drive for asset creation, product innovation, or digital banking.
“We will need to covet the improvements and further build upon it. As a corporate brand, we have a lot that is keeping us going: the positive sentiments and optimism, the growing franchise of the business and steady growth in different segments of the retail market across all the geo-political zones of Nigeria.
“We have the right indicators to reclaim lost grounds – innovating with the development and soon to be launched omnichannel digital app to improve reliability, customer experience, support diverse products functionality which will impact earnings, income and profitability,” she added.
The Central Bank of Nigeria has recently approved a business combination with another innovative Bank in Nigeria, marking a significant milestone in the Bank’s growth strategy as it advances its recapitalization plans.
This partnership is built on a shared vision to redefine the banking experience for our customers and will drive the transformation of the consolidated entity.
By leveraging Unity Bank’s extensive branch network and strong customer relationships alongside the entity’s digital expertise and commitment to innovation, we aim to create a seamless integration of traditional and modern banking services.
Amid a review of key highlights that support the steady growth of the retail business, analysts are of the view that the Bank has continued to reflect a good outlook in terms of perception and confidence in the market, which by and large creates an entity with remarkable resilience whilst investors’ sentiments remain positive.
