Wema Bank posts 72 pct rise in profit to ₦2.6 billion

Wema Bank Plc has posted improved bottom-line for the nine months ended September 30, 2018, helped by a significant growth in trading income.

The results released last Friday showed net interest income of ₦15.349 billion, up from ₦11.976 billion in the corresponding period of 2017. Net fee and commission income fell slightly from ₦5.551 billion to ₦5.421 billion in 2018. However, trading income soared from 166 per cent to ₦4.276 billion, from N1.603 billion.

This boosted the operating income to ₦25.448 billion, compared with ₦20.068 billion. But personnel expenses rose from ₦7.844 billion to ₦N8.564 billion, while other expenses jumped from ₦8.644 billion to ₦11.864 billion.

Hence, Wema Bank Plc ended the nine months with profit before tax of ₦3.057 billion, showing an increase of 69 per cent above the ₦1.799 billion recorded in 2017. Similarly, profit after tax rose 72 per cent to ₦2.644 billion, compared with ₦1.529 billion in the corresponding period of 2017. The lender recorded earnings per shares of 9.2 kobo, up from 5.3 kobo in 2017.

Wema Bank Plc recently disclosed that it planned to raise up to ₦20 billion senior unsecured bond in Series 2 of its bond issuance progamme.

According to the bank, the new issuance followed a successful establishment of ₦50 billion Bond Issuance Programme.

It explained that the series 2 of the bond is to be issued for a tenor of 5-7 years and the target market is the institutional investors. It added that the proceeds of the bond are intended to boost its working capital and meets its financing needs. The bank had raised ₦6.2 billion in its first tranche of the ₦50 billion debt programme.

Also, the bank recently confirmed Mr. Ademola Adebise as managing director/chief executive officer(MD/CEO), effective October 1, while Mr. Moruf Oseni has been named deputy managing director.

Adebisi was appointed the acting MD/CEO in July when the former MD/CEO, Mr. Segun Oloketuyi proceeded on terminal leave in July 2018.

He has been part of the bank’s executive management team since the transformation programme began in 2009 and has played a pivotal role in the execution of the strategic turnaround programme for the bank.

According to bank, “Adebise has over 28 years’ experience in the banking industry (inclusive of four years in management consulting), and has worked in various capacities in information technology, financial control & strategic planning, treasury, corporate banking, risk management and performance management.”

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