GCB Bank PLC, Ghana’s largest indigenous bank, has announced a landmark Profit Before Tax (PBT) of GH¢3.17 billion for the 2025 financial year, marking a 67.4 per cent surge from the previous year.
The bank’s financial results, released ahead of its annual general meeting, highlight a year of robust growth driven by a 19.7 per cent increase in customer deposits to GH¢41.3 billion. This strong deposit base supported a 56.8 per cent year-on-year expansion in the loan book, which grew to GH¢16.39 billion, reflecting a recovery in credit demand aligned with the nation’s broader economic rebound.
The bank’s balance sheet expanded by 23 per cent to GH¢52.6 billion, while operating income rose by 40.9 per cent year-on-year to GH¢6.3 billion. This growth was fuelled by increases in both interest and non-interest income.
Despite a sharp decline in interest rates during the year, GCB Bank grew its interest income by 38.3 per cent, successfully navigating the low-interest-rate environment through active balance sheet repricing, strategic asset allocation, and proactive risk management.
Non-Funded Income Gains Strategic Importance
Non-funded income, which includes revenue from fees, commissions, and trading, saw a significant 58 per cent year-on-year increase, reaching a 27.3 per cent share of total revenue, up from 24.3 per cent in 2024. The bank flagged this as a strategically important development.
As the Bank of Ghana implemented a cumulative 1,000-basis-point reduction in the policy rate to 18 per cent during 2025, traditional lending margins faced sustained pressure. In response, GCB Bank noted that transaction-based income would play an increasingly central role in protecting profitability moving forward.
Operating costs rose by 41.1 per cent, broadly in line with revenue growth, which helped maintain a stable cost-to-income ratio of 47.2 per cent.
Improved Asset Quality and Strong Capital Position
The bank recorded significant improvements in asset quality, with the Non-Performing Loan (NPL) ratio falling to 10.3 per cent from 15.1 per cent in 2024. The cost of risk, a measure of provisions against potential loan losses, declined to 1.3 per cent from 4.3 per cent, directly contributing to the record profit. The bank attributed this improvement to tighter lending standards, stronger early-warning systems, improved loan recoveries, and greater borrower repayment capacity amid Ghana’s economic stabilisation.
GCB Bank ended the year with a strong capital adequacy ratio of 18.0 per cent, up from 17.5 per cent in 2024 and well above the regulatory floor of 13 per cent. Cash and liquid assets stood at GH¢14.5 billion, representing 27.5 per cent of total assets. Earnings Per Share (EPS) reached GH¢7.78.
Shareholders who held GCB stock throughout the year saw the share price rise from GH¢6.37 to GH¢20.11, translating into a capital gain of 215.7 per cent.
Strategic Shift and New Initiatives
The results coincide with the first year of GCB Bank’s 2025–2028 medium-term strategy, which aims to shift from a predominantly retail-funded model toward a more diversified platform encompassing wholesale, commercial, and transaction banking.
During the year, the bank launched several strategic initiatives, including a comprehensive sustainability programme addressing climate risk, diversity, and governance. Notable programmes included the Sheagles Soar intervention, a female leadership development initiative targeting 30 per cent female representation at the board and management levels by 2028, and the Amber Club programme for the bank’s top 100 customers.
Commenting on the financials, the Managing Director of GCB Bank PLC, Farihan Alhassan, said, “The 2025 results were not accidental; they reflect steady leadership, deliberate strategic choices, and disciplined execution across the bank.”
He noted that by every measure, the financial results represent a record performance and reinforce GCB Bank’s strong position within Ghana’s banking sector.
Mr Farihan added that while the 2026 financial year presents a new challenge from significant margin compression as interest rates fall sharply, “the strategy is right, the team is right, and GCB Bank is well positioned to fully meet our clients’ aspirations, empower our people to succeed, and sustain the digital transformation.”
About GCB Bank PLC
GCB Bank PLC is Ghana’s largest indigenous commercial bank, with 183 branches, more than 340 ATMs nationwide, and a longstanding legacy as a cornerstone of Ghana’s financial system.
