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Zenith Bank will pay its founder and chairman, Jim Ovia, approximately N5.18 billion as an interim dividend for the first half of 2025, following the bank’s strong financial performance. The payout reflects Ovia’s direct holding of 4.14 billion shares, which entitles him to N1.25 per share—a 25% increase from the previous year’s interim dividend.

Key Points:
  • Jim Ovia to receive N5.18 billion from Zenith Bank’s H1 2025 interim dividend.
  • The dividend per share increased by 25% to N1.25, up from N1.00 in H1 2024.
  • Ovia directly holds 4.14 billion shares in the bank.
  • Zenith Bank reported a profit before tax of N625.63 billion for H1 2025.
  • Gross earnings grew 20% year-on-year to N2.5 trillion.
  • The bank’s total assets stood at N31 trillion as of June 2025.
  • This continues Ovia’s history of significant dividends from the institution he founded.
The substantial payout underscores the financial rewards reaped by founding stakeholders in Nigeria’s banking sector, even as the institution marks 35 years of operations.

Sources: Nairametrics, Zenith Bank