Stanbic IBTC profit jumps to N370bn as assets hit N9.6tn

By Chibuzor Alli

Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc recorded a 33 per cent increase in profit to N370.4bn in the first nine months of 2026, as its total assets expanded to N9.60tn on the back of growth in deposits, cash holdings and financial investments.

The group’s unaudited financial statements filed with the Nigerian Exchange showed that profit rose from N278.5bn in the corresponding period of 2025, while total assets increased by N978.6bn from N8.62tn at the end of December 2025.

The 11.4 per cent expansion in assets reflected growth across several categories, including trading assets, customer loans and financial investments.

Trading assets climbed to N1.31tn from N862.16bn, while financial investments increased to N1.66tn from N1.49tn over the nine-month period.

Cash and bank balances also rose to N1.95tn from N1.70tn, strengthening the group’s cash position.

Customer lending continued to expand, with loans to customers increasing to N2.61tn from N2.38tn. However, loans to other banks fell sharply to N428.08bn from N1.47tn, marking a significant change in the composition of the group’s lending assets.

On the funding side, customer deposits grew to N4.57tn from N4.37tn, while total deposits, including funds from other banks, increased to N5.37tn from N4.78tn.

The increase in deposits provided a larger pool of funds within the group’s balance sheet to support its banking and investment activities.

Stanbic IBTC’s total liabilities rose to N8.17tn in September 2026 from N7.50tn at the end of 2025.

Shareholders’ equity, representing the residual value attributable to owners after liabilities are deducted from assets, increased to N1.43tn from N1.12tn during the period.

The combined growth in earnings and assets highlights the group’s stronger financial performance in the first nine months of the year, although the decline in interbank lending indicates a notable shift in how its lending assets were allocated.