NCBA Group PLC has posted a net profit of KES 23.4 billion for the full year ending 2025, marking a 7% increase from KES 21.9 billion recorded in 2024. The results reflect sustained growth across its core banking and digital segments, alongside a strengthened balance sheet and expanding regional footprint.
The Group also announced a significant increase in shareholder returns, with total dividend payout rising to KES 11.7 billion, up from KES 9.1 billion the previous year. This translates to a final dividend of KES 7.10%, reinforcing the bank’s commitment to consistent value creation.
Strong Financial Performance Across Key Metrics
NCBA’s financial performance in 2025 was underpinned by robust revenue growth and operational scale:
- Profit before tax rose to KES 27.9 billion, up 10.9 per cent year-on-year
- Operating income increased 17 per cent to KES 73.3 billion
- Customer deposits grew to KES 532 billion, reflecting a 6 per cent rise
- Total assets expanded to KES 716 billion, up 8 per cent
However, the Group also recorded a 46.3 per cent increase in credit loss provisions to KES 8.0 billion, indicating a more cautious risk posture amid evolving macroeconomic conditions.
NCBA Group 2025 full year net profit hits Sh23.4bn, total dividend rises to Sh7.10
A notable highlight was the continued dominance in digital lending, with disbursements reaching KES 1.4 trillion, a 33 per cent increase year-on-year. Digital banking now contributes 32 per cent of the Group’s profitability, signaling a structural shift in how financial services are delivered and monetized.
Strategy Execution Drives Long-Term Positioning
According to Group Managing Director John Gachora, the 2025 results mark the successful conclusion of the bank’s 2020–2025 strategic cycle.
Over this period, NCBA focused on five core pillars: customer experience, retail expansion, corporate banking leadership, digital transformation, and organizational culture. The outcomes are measurable:
- Branch network expanded from 89 to 123 locations
- Customer base doubled through retail and digital channels
- Asset finance market share maintained above 30 per cent
- Over 20,000 businesses adopted its digital platform, NCBA ConnectPlus
The Group’s digital ecosystem, including AI-powered solutions such as Carduka, has driven scale, onboarding millions of users across the region.
Subsidiaries and Regional Operations Gain Momentum
The Kenyan banking subsidiary remains the primary profit driver, contributing 82 per cent of total profit before tax. Regional subsidiaries also showed strong growth, generating KES 3.6 billion in PBT and benefiting from improved asset quality and balance sheet expansion.
Non-banking units — including investment banking, insurance, and leasing — contributed KES 1.9 billion in PBT, supported by growth in assets under management, which surpassed KES 100 billion.
Sustainability and Social Impact Investments Expand
NCBA continues to integrate sustainability into its operating model through its “Change The Story” strategy. Key milestones include:
- KES 9.5 billion mobilized in green financing
- Over 1.3 million trees planted
- 70,000+ youth and women empowered through programs
- 1.2 million livelihoods impacted
The bank has also invested in sports and the creative economy, allocating over KES 200 million to golf development and supporting young creatives through partnerships such as ELEV8 and HEVA Fund.
Launch of the 2026–2030 Ubuntu Strategy
Building on its current momentum, NCBA has unveiled its next strategic phase — the Ubuntu Strategy (2026–2030), anchored on the purpose: “Banking on Belief – Empowering Ambitions.”
The strategy is structured around four priorities:
- Strengthening core banking operations and data capabilities
- Scaling high-growth segments such as SME, consumer, and insurance
- Expanding into new markets and sectors
- Building a future-ready, purpose-driven organization
This reflects a shift from scale-building to precision growth and ecosystem expansion.
Nedbank moves to acquire controlling stake in NCBA Group in landmark East Africa expansion
Nedbank Transaction Signals Regional Expansion
The Group also highlighted strategic opportunities tied to the proposed acquisition by Nedbank Group of a 66 per cent stake in NCBA.
The transaction is expected to:
- Enhance capital strength and liquidity
- Enable access to global financial markets and products
- Support expansion beyond East Africa into broader international corridors
This positions NCBA within a larger pan-African and global banking architecture, with access to advanced capabilities and funding channels.
Strategic Interpretation
NCBA’s 2025 results are less about headline growth and more about structural positioning. The bank has transitioned from a traditional lender into a digitally-led, regionally diversified financial platform.
Three signals stand out for founders, investors, and policymakers:
First, digital financial services are now a primary profit center, not a support function. Scale and data are the new competitive advantages.
Second, regional diversification is no longer optional for financial institutions operating in Africa. Risk distribution and growth opportunities demand cross-border strategies.
Third, capital partnerships — such as the Nedbank deal — are becoming essential for institutions seeking to compete at scale in a fragmented but rapidly integrating African market.
The broader implication is clear: African financial institutions that combine disciplined execution, digital infrastructure, and strategic partnerships will define the next phase of growth.
Leadership, in this context, is about sequencing — knowing when to consolidate, when to expand, and when to invite external capital. Institutions that get this balance right will not only grow; they will endure.
