10/04/2026
THE NUMBERS DON’T LIE – THIS IS WHY YOU SHOULD BE INVESTING IN SHARES!
Two of Nigeria’s most formidable financial giants – Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO) and Zenith Bank – have just released their Full Year 2025 audited results, and the figures are nothing short of extraordinary. Let me break it down for you.
GTCO – FY 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Gross Earnings (Interest Income): N1.65 Trillion
Profit Before Tax: N1.23 Trillion
Profit After Tax: N865.75 Billion
Total Dividend Declared: N12.76 per share – a NEW RECORD and the highest in GTCO’s history!
This comes off the back of a blockbuster 2024, where GTCO posted a record PAT of N1.017 Trillion and paid a total dividend of N8.03 per share.
ZENITH BANK – FY 2025 HIGHLIGHTS
Gross Earnings: N4.19 Trillion
Profit Before Tax: N1.26 Trillion
Profit After Tax: N1.04 Trillion
Total Dividend Declared: N10.00 per share – DOUBLE what was paid in 2024!
In 2024, Zenith also reported gross earnings of N3.97 Trillion and a PAT of N1.03 Trillion, with a total dividend of N5.00 per share.
NOW LET’S TALK CAPITAL GAINS – THE REAL STORY
During the 2024 Public Offer:
Zenith Bank shares were offered at N36.50
GTCO shares were offered at N45.00
As at 9 April 2026:
Zenith Bank is trading at N112.00
GTCO is trading at N125.00
That means:
Zenith investors have seen approximately 207% capital gain in under two years.
GTCO investors have seen approximately 178% capital gain in the same period.
AND THAT IS BEFORE WE COUNT THE DIVIDENDS!
Add the growing dividend streams on top of these capital gains and the total return picture becomes truly breathtaking. At the current trajectory of dividend growth – with Zenith doubling its payout in just one year and GTCO declaring its highest ever dividend – investors who got in during the public offer are well on their way to recouping their ENTIRE initial investment through dividend payments alone, while still holding shares that have nearly tripled in value.
Think about that for a moment. The dividends are paying you back. The capital is still growing. This is the power of compounding in action.
At this rate, within a few more years, patient investors stand to have recovered their full capital sum purely through dividends – and still be sitting on shares worth multiple times what they originally paid. We are talking about a potential 200-fold journey for those who stay the course.
THE BIGGER LESSON FOR EVERY NIGERIAN
We live in an era where inflation quietly erodes the value of cash sitting in savings accounts. Meanwhile, investors who backed quality Nigerian equities are watching their wealth multiply – not just in naira terms, but in real, tangible value.
At the rate both banks are rewarding shareholders:
Dividends alone could return investors’ full capital within a few more years.
The shares themselves could continue appreciating multifold.
The goal of a financially free future is not a dream – it is a documented, numbers-backed reality.
The stock market is not a casino. Done right – with quality stocks, patience, and a long-term mindset – it is the most reliable wealth-building engine available to everyday Nigerians.
If you are waiting for the right time to start investing, THIS is your sign. The best time was during those public offers. The second best time is NOW.
Share this post. Someone in your network needs to see these numbers.
Dr. Ovoke Kingsley Oruma
