Equity Group Holdings PLC has posted a strong performance for the nine months ending September 2025, driven by regional growth, diversification, and digital transformation.
According to Group CEO Dr. James Mwangi, the bank’s profitability is not determined by the number of countries in which it operates, but by the impact it makes in each country.
“The more important thing is not the number of countries we are in. What is important is that we are significant and systemic in every country we are in,” said Dr. Mwangi.
The Group’s profit after tax rose 32 percent to KSh 54.1 billion, up from KSh 40.9 billion in 2024, supported by improved efficiency and strong subsidiary contributions. Return on average equity stood at 26.4 percent, while return on average assets was 4.1 percent.
The cost-to-income ratio improved to 50.6 percent from 55.1 percent, and asset quality strengthened, with the non-performing loan ratio easing to 12.1 percent and coverage increasing to 71.4 percent.
Mwangi attributed the results to the execution of the Africa Recovery and Resilience Plan (ARRP), which emphasizes regional expansion and sector-focused lending. “Regional subsidiaries now contribute about half of the Group’s deposits, loan book, assets, and revenue, demonstrating that Equity has evolved from a Kenyan bank into a regional financial powerhouse,” he added.
The Democratic Republic of Congo remained a key growth driver, with Equity Banque Commerciale du Congo (Equity BCDC) posting a 21 percent increase in profit after tax to KSh 13.8 billion, loans growing 19 percent to KSh 302.7 billion, and equity rising 28 percent to KSh 88.8 billion.
In Uganda, profit after tax surged 61 percent to KSh 2.9 billion, supported by a 23 percent rise in investment securities. Rwanda achieved a 34 percent growth in its loan book to KSh 62.3 billion, while Tanzania nearly doubled profit to KSh 1.5 billion, with loans increasing 51 percent and shareholders’ funds up 83 percent.
In Kenya, Equity Bank recorded a strong rebound, with profit after tax climbing 51 percent to KSh 31.1 billion and net interest income rising 27 percent to KSh 53.6 billion.
“The insurance group has grown, but the biggest contributor was Kenya. Kenya has bounced back, it has recovered, and we are now in a position to focus on supporting our people,” said Mwangi.
The bank maintained its top position in Micro, Small, and Medium-sized Enterprise (MSME) financing, disbursing 45 percent of all SME loans in the country between January and July 2025.
Diversification continued through the Equity Insurance Group, which achieved a 36 percent rise in profit before tax to KSh 1.46 billion and a 71 percent increase in gross written premiums to KSh 6.55 billion. Over 98 percent of transactions now occur outside branches, with 87.4 percent completed digitally.
Through the Equity Group Foundation, the Group invested KSh 98 billion in education, MSME support, and climate-smart initiatives across the region.
Recognized as the Best Regional Bank in East Africa and Kenya’s Most Valuable Brand, Equity Group’s 2025 results affirm its position as a resilient, regionally integrated, and socially transformative financial institution.
The Group is on track to achieve its goal of serving 100 million customers by 2030 through a framework centered on technology-enabled ecosystems and MSME-focused solutions targeting the young generation.
– By Timon Otieno
