National Bank of Kenya (NBK) has posted 177 million shillings in profit after tax for the year ending December 31, 2020, representing a 167 percent growth from the previous year.
According to the lender, the profits were driven by an increase in loan volumes and lower operating costs, even as the Bank battled the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bank’s corporate and retail franchises remained resilient in the subdued economy with reduced activity across sectors.
During the period, NBK rolled out a raft of interventions to cushion customers from the effects of the pandemic for the continuity of their businesses and a reprieve from the financial strain. The Bank restructured loans to the tune of over KShs. 7 billion and waived fees on digital channels.
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“Even though the pandemic disrupted our plans, slowed our recovery journey, and impacted the business and our people, we still managed to deliver some growth. This is an indication that our fundamentals are solid and remained resilient to the shock,” said NBK’s Managing Director Paul Russo.
According to the financials unveiled on Wednesday, interest income grew by 8 percent to stand at 9.7 billion shillings, largely due to increased volumes in loans. The interest expense remained relatively flat at 2.7billion shillings.
Total operating costs decreased by 6 percent, because of reduced loan provisioning to accommodate the heightened risks due to the effects of the pandemic. This period also saw the Bank continue to drive cost management initiatives.
The Bank further strengthened its balance sheet, with assets growing by 13 percent to 126.7 billion shillings from 112 billion shillings; majorly from net loans and advances which were up 21 percent to 55.5 billion shillings. This was also supported by a 14 percent growth in customer deposits to 99 billion shillings from increased flows from existing and new clients in both retail and corporate businesses.
“With the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination and gradual reopening of the economy, we are optimistic about our fortunes this year. We expect better performance. Our focus remains supporting our customers through these times and ensuring their safety and that of our staff,” Mr. Russo added.