United Capital rewards shareholders with N9 billion dividend payout

…marks 10-year-listing anniversary

By Chioma Obinagwam

Leading Pan-African financial services conglomerate, United Capital Plc has declared a N9 billion dividend payout to its shareholders at its Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on Monday, March 27, 2023, at Transcorp Hilton Hotel, Abuja.

The company informed Confiance News in a statement.

Confiance News gathered that this follows the publication of a remarkable financial performance for Financial Year 2022 (FY2022).

The event, Confiance News learnt, also marked the company’s 10th year as a listed company on the Nigerian Exchange.

Earlier, the presented its financial statement, recording impressive numbers despite evident market volatility. The Board of Directors, at the event, announced a 13 percent year-on-year increase in Profit Before Tax (PBT) to N13.50 billion, a 49 percent year-on-year increase in Gross Earnings to N26.90 billion, and a 33 percent year-on-year increase in Total Asset to N601.92 billion.

This, Confiance News gathered, prompted the board to declare a dividend of N1.50 for every 50 kobo ordinary share.

Providing context for the financial performance, Prof. Chika Mordi, Chairman of the Board of United Capital Plc, said:

“Despite the macroeconomic pressures of 2022, United Capital Plc reported an outstanding financial performance. The Group’s Return on Average Equity (RoAE) for the 2022 financial year was one of the highest among listed financial services institutions, signifying solid growth in the overall profitability of the Group and its subsidiary businesses.

“We are confident in our ability to deliver consistent superior returns as we have put in place appropriate strategies to respond to possible scenarios that the year 2023 could throw at us,” he continued.

Accolades
In addition to its outstanding financial performance, United Capital Plc’s subsidiaries individually recorded significant milestones during the year. The Investment Bank acted as Joint Issuing House to Dangote Industries Limited (DIL) $1 billion bond issuance, the largest bond issuance in the Nigerian Debt Capital Market by a corporate entity.

Its Asset Management subsidiary won the award for the Fastest Growing Investment Management Company in Nigeria at the 2022 International Finance Awards and remains among the top three fund managers in Nigeria.

The Trustees business cemented its industry leadership as the number one Trustee business in Nigeria in terms of Funds Under Management (FUM) and its Consumer Finance business disbursed over 130,000 loans totalling N21 billion.

Outlook
Speaking on the company’s outlook for the 2023 financial year, Mr. Peter Ashade, Group Chief Executive Officer disclosed plans by the company to foster financial Inclusion through creation of a microfinance bank among other unique solutions for its clients.

“This year marks our 10th year as a publicly quoted company on the Nigerian Exchange and I am delighted to affirm that it has been a decade of excellence and progress for both the organisation and its shareholders.

“This year, business sustainability, innovation, digitalization, and increasing global competition for talent are megatrends that will define how we operate given our long-term business objectives and goals.

“We will continue to position the organization as a globally reputable financial institution with the best team of professionals creating solutions and unique experiences for our clients and delivering superior value to all stakeholders while fostering social development and promoting financial inclusion across the geo-political zones that we operate,” Ashade forecasted.

United Capital Plc has already put plans in motion to expand its commercial operations. The financial service company recently received a microfinance banking license from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in an effort to foster financial inclusion by offering diverse market segments access to loans, investments and capital raising solutions. It has also expanded its footprints globally, securing a strategic partnership with two leading Swiss investment.

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