Guaranty Trust Holding Company Plc has announced its unaudited financial results for the first quarter ended March 31, 2026, posting an impressive Profit Before Tax of ₦302.9 billion, underscoring a solid start to the financial year.
The Group’s performance, submitted to both the Nigerian Exchange Group and London Stock Exchange, was driven by strong growth in core earnings lines. Interest income rose by 17.5% year-on-year, while fee income increased by 7.1%, reflecting sustained business momentum.
GTCO’s earnings capacity was further supported by a steady expansion of its loan book, which grew by 1.3% from ₦3.13 trillion in December 2025 to ₦3.17 trillion in March 2026. Deposit liabilities also climbed significantly by 6.3%, rising from ₦12.87 trillion to ₦13.69 trillion within the same period.
The Group maintained a strong financial position, with total assets closing at ₦18.7 trillion and shareholders’ funds at ₦3.6 trillion. Its Capital Adequacy Ratio stood at an impressive 39.5%, while asset quality improved, as IFRS 9 Stage 3 loans declined to 4.4% from 5.0% recorded at the end of 2025. Cost of Risk also dropped sharply to 0.2%, compared to 2.2% previously.
Across its operations, GTCO recorded growth in all asset lines, maintaining a well-diversified and liquid balance sheet. This strength spans its banking operations as well as its expanding footprint in payments, pension, and funds management businesses.
Commenting on the results, Group Chief Executive Officer, Segun Agbaje, described the quarter as a turning point in the Group’s earnings structure.
“Our Q1 2026 results mark a defining shift in the quality and composition of our earnings, with strong underlying performance across our core banking operations and increasing contribution from our ecosystem businesses,” he said.
Agbaje added that the Group remains focused on sustainable growth through deeper customer engagement, rapid expansion of ecosystem businesses, and technology-driven financial solutions. He noted significant opportunities in payments, wealth management, and banking across Nigeria and other African markets.
GTCO continues to rank among the top performers in Nigeria’s financial services industry, posting strong key ratios including a Pre-Tax Return on Equity of 34.4%, Return on Assets of 6.6%, and a Cost-to-Income ratio of 31.5%.
With operations spanning Africa and the United Kingdom, the Group remains committed to innovation, strong corporate governance, and long-term value creation for stakeholders.