First National Bank Ghana has posted a strong turnaround in its 2025 financial results, signalling not just improved earnings but a more resilient and better-capitalised balance sheet.
The bank recorded a profit after tax of GH¢106.8 million for the year ended December 2025, a sharp rise from GH¢18.2 million in 2024. Profit before tax also climbed significantly to GH¢110.4 million from GH¢30.9 million, while operating income grew to GH¢605.6 million from GH¢431.3 million.
The performance points to a bank gaining momentum, with stronger profitability now reinforcing its overall financial position.
A major driver of the growth was the bank’s core income streams. Net interest income rose to GH¢353.8 million from GH¢248.1 million, supported by improved lending and returns on interest-bearing assets.
Other income lines also recorded solid gains. Net fees and commission income increased to GH¢77.2 million from GH¢67.4 million, while net trading income jumped to GH¢180.9 million from GH¢123.5 million — highlighting a more diversified and balanced revenue base.
On the balance sheet, the bank showed steady expansion. Total assets grew to GH¢6.48 billion from GH¢6.18 billion, reflecting continued growth in its operations.
Customer deposits rose to GH¢4.1 billion from GH¢3.86 billion, strengthening the bank’s funding base. In banking terms, rising deposits often signal growing customer confidence, suggesting the bank is deepening relationships while reinforcing its financial stability.
Liquidity also improved, with cash and cash equivalents increasing to GH¢1.99 billion from GH¢1.80 billion. Investment securities rose to GH¢1.84 billion from GH¢1.35 billion.
One of the more notable shifts was a sharp drop in borrowings, which fell to GH¢271.8 million from GH¢636.4 million. This suggests reduced reliance on external funding and greater financial flexibility going forward.
Capital strength stood out as a key highlight. Total equity nearly doubled to GH¢1.00 billion from GH¢537.7 million, supported by retained earnings and a GH¢358.6 million share issuance during the year.
The bank’s capital adequacy ratio also improved significantly to 34.08% from 24.68%, providing a stronger buffer against potential risks and positioning the bank to support future growth.
Asset quality showed encouraging signs as well. Gross loans declined slightly to GH¢1.38 billion from GH¢1.48 billion, while non-performing loans dropped to GH¢168.8 million from GH¢199.7 million.
This helped improve the non-performing loan ratio to 12.21% from 13.54%, reflecting better credit risk management. Net impairment losses also fell sharply to GH¢7.3 million from GH¢24.8 million, boosting operating income after impairment to GH¢598.3 million.
Overall, the results paint a picture of a bank strengthening on multiple fronts — with higher profits, improved capital, growing deposits, better asset quality, and reduced dependence on borrowings.
While the surge in profit is notable, the broader takeaway is a significantly stronger financial foundation. The 2025 performance, analysts say, reflects not just a year of earnings growth, but a clear step forward in stability and long-term resilience.