Business

TAJBank sets new record, pays dividend in 3 years

Published

2 years ago

July 4, 2023

….as non-interest lender’s PBT surges by over 300% in FY 2022

Joel Ajayi
TAJBank Limited, Nigeria’s fast-growing and technology-driven non-interest banking services provider, has set a new record in the nation’s banking system with the payment of dividend to its shareholders just three years of its operations.

It would be recalled that TAJBank made history early this year as the first corporate entity in Nigeria’s history to list Sukuk Bond on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) after the successful issuance.

Available data on banking industry’s audited financial reports indicated that no bank had achieved such a remarkable feat in the over 100 years of the sector’s history.

Addressing the shareholders at the meeting, the Board chairman, Alhaji Tanko Isiaku Gwamna, recounted the global economic whirlwinds in the past two years as well as the macroeconomic developments in the nation’s economic space, especially the surging inflation rate, with the attendant negative impacts on businesses.

Gwamna maintained that despite the inclement operating environment, the Board and management of the bank were able, through innovation and proactive strategies, to sustain TAJBank on the path of sustainable growth and financial stability for the benefits of the shareholders and Nigeria’s economyOn the dividend issue, he said:

“On behalf of the Board, I am pleased to inform our shareholders that we have recommended a scrip dividend payment of 1 share for every 10 shares, subject to shareholders’ approval. We remain committed to promoting business expansion and success while making sure that a sizeable amount of our profits is set aside for you.”

In his report, the bank’s Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Hamid Joda, described the FY 2022 as a significant milestone in the journey of the non-interest lender despite the headwinds that characterized the operating environment as the management was able to deliver on key strategic goals through relentless execution, backed by a positive culture and delivery on high-impact projects.

On the bank’s financial performance in FY 2022, Joda reported that TAJBank recorded remarkable growth across key indices during the year as its balance sheet grew by over 93% from N110 billion recorded in FY 2021 to N212 billion while its Profit Before Tax (PBT) also surged from N1.6 billion in FY 2021 to N5.081 billion in 2022 financial year.

He also told the excited shareholders that the bank’s earnings per share grew by 138% to N31.27 kobo in FY 2022 compared to N13.11 kobo recorded in FY 2021.
On the plans to further grow the bank in the years ahead, Joda, the award-winning banker, said: “In our relentless effort to promote non-interest products and modes of banking nationwide, the Board and management of TAJBank have set key objectives for the year 2023 and beyond.

“These initiatives include, inter alia, to promote financial inclusion by leveraging various channels and touchpoints, especially our electronic platforms with the aim of reaching out to the unbanked populace; and to be recognized as the market leader in the non-interest banking industry in Nigeria.

“We also plan to open 110 branches/business offices across state capitals/major commercial centers before 2024 and to offer non-interest banking products and services to underserved markets; to grow our agency network to 100,000 active agents by 2025 thereby reducing the financial exclusion rate; to grow our customer base to at least four million by 2027; and to achieve a minimum customer satisfaction score of 85%”, he added.

Speaking to journalists shortly after the AGM, a leading financial expert and an Independent Non-Executive Director of the bank, Alhaji Tata Shekaru Omar, lauded the Board and Management for innovatively positioning TAJBank at the leading edge of competition in the nation’s increasingly dynamic financial services market.

He enthused: “TAJBank is just barely four years of age and that it was able to make profit in its first year of operation is great and cheery news for all its stakeholders. I want to say kudos to the MD and the entire team for such a feat, especially that the bank is now giving out dividends to shareholders.

“TAJBank deserves the congratulations it is getting as an institution because it has achieved a lot and this needs to be commended. The bank has continued to make great strides and now it is even expanding in terms of branches.

TAJBank continues to make a statement that non-interest banking is here to stay and the way to go”, he added.

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Business

Democracy Day: Fiscal Discipline Key To Nigeria’s Sustainable Devt – Auditor-General

Published

6 days ago

June 12, 2025

The Gleamer

…Urges National Assembly to Pass Audit Bill 2022

Joseph Bisi

As Nigerians commemorated a historic milestone in their collective pursuit of a more socio-economically robust nation, the Auditor-General for the Federation (AuGF), Shaakaa Kanyitor Chira, has implored the nation’s leaders and citizenry to intensify their efforts in championing the cause of fiscal discipline and accountability within the public finance system. In a brief conversation with journalists to mark the 2025 ‘Democracy Day’ on Thursday, the AuGF commended President Bola Tinubu’s administration for its ongoing fiscal and tax reform initiatives, describing these measures as essential for enhancing the nation’s revenue generation and budgetary expenditures. Chira explained that transforming the potential benefits of these reforms into tangible gains for the citizenry required more transparent fiscal mechanisms for the monitoring and evaluation of government expenditures, including the auditing processes and the timely appraisal of the Audit report by his Office, free from political interferences. He said: “Today’s Democracy Day is worthy of celebration, given the political history of the country and the prospects for sustainable development. Over the past few years, we have witnessed a series of reform initiatives by both past and present administrations aimed at improving the nation’s fiscal system, particularly under President Bola Tinubu, based on the current Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills that are being finalized by the National Assembly. “Let me emphasize that these measures are not merely desirable for Nigeria’s sustainable development; the enactment of the four pivotal bills will significantly contribute to stabilizing the financial system while also promoting transparency in public finance and prudent governance at all levels of government throughout the country. “It is imperative to underscore, however, that the role of the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation (OAuGF) in achieving these laudable objectives may be impeded if the Audit Bill currently before the National Assembly is not enacted into law. “The passage of the Bill, which seeks to augment the AuGF’s role in ensuring accountability, transparency and value for money in government expenditure while empowering the AuGF with administrative and financial autonomy, is crucial for enhancing transparency and accountability within Nigeria’s public finance system that aligns with International Standards of Supreme Audit Institutions (ISSAIs). “Therefore, I seize this opportunity to appeal to our lawmakers in the National Assembly to prioritize the passage of the Audit Bill as a strategic legislative initiative to achieve the commendable goals of the Tax Reforms and Fiscal Policy Bills they are presently finalizing,” the AuGF added.Experts are of the view that the Auditor-General’s call for the passage of the Audit Bill 2022 aligns with the OAuGF Strategic Plan 2024-2028, which encapsulates the objectives of the Office being the Supreme Audit Institution(SAI) of Nigeria, aimed at enhancing public sector governance and accountability. The four principal objectives of the Strategic Plan include Goal 1: Focusing on the enhanced independence and mandate of the OAuGF; Goal 2: to mitigate mismanagement of public funds through more robust follow-up on audit recommendations; Goal 3: to ensure improved financial reporting within the public sector; and Goal 4: to establish the OAuGF as a model institution not only in Nigeria but on a global scale.

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