Zenith Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest lender by market capitalisation, will raise $182 million to support expansion plans and increase its loan book. On Monday, the bank flagged off its combined offer on the floor of the Nigeria Exchange Limited (NGX).
Zenith Bank is offering 5.2 billion shares at $0.02 per share to existing shareholders and 2.7 billion shares at $0.02 to the general public. The offer opened on and will close on September 9, 2024.
For Zenith Bank, which became a publicly traded company in 2004 and now holds a market cap of $1.195 billion, the appeal for its shares is the history of maximizing shareholder value.
“We paid a dividend of ₦4 per share–the highest paid by any bank in Nigeria. The trend has been sustained for the last five years. We paid the shares from organic profits without FX revaluation gains. Zenith Bank’s offer is investors’ delight,” Adaora Umeoji, Zenith Bank’s Group MD/CEO, said during her presentation.
Zenith Bank also mentioned its growth over the decades from a mid-size lender to the largest tier-1 bank by market value. Its corporate banking arm contributes 58% to the group’s revenue, while the retail segment accounts for 42%.
“All the subsidiaries are making almost 20% profits and contributing to group profits,” Umeoji said.
35% of the total capital raised—62 million will be used to fund the strategic expansion of the banking business with a plan to expand footprints in West Africa and set up shop in Paris, the French capital to consolidate Francophone expansion. The
With 33 million customers, Zenith Bank will focus on the retail and SME segments. 45% of the total capital raised—$81.2 million—will be used for working capital to serve both segments. The remaining 20% of the proceeds $35.851 million—will be invested in IT infrastructure.
