Zenith Bank to exit CBN’s regulatory forbearance, assures continued dividend payout

Zenith Bank Plc has assured shareholders and investors of its readiness to satisfy all relevant conditions to exit the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) regulatory forbearance by June 30, 2025.

Zenith Bank also expressed confidence in meeting shareholders’ dividend expectations in the 2025 financial year.

The clarification comes on the back of heightened scrutiny of Nigerian banks’ capital health following the new CBN directive that suspends dividend payments and tightens oversight for banks with outstanding forbearance-related loans or breaches of the Single Obligor Limit (SOL).

In a statement presented to the Nigeria Exchange (NGX) Group on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, the bank stated that its exposure under the SOL forbearance relates solely to a single obligor.

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Zenith Bank said the exposure would be brought within the applicable regulatory limit on or before June 30, 2025.

Zenith Bank noted that the forbearance granted on other credit facilities applies to only two of its customers, saying it has made substantial provisions in respect of these facilities and taken appropriate and comprehensive steps to ensure full provisioning by June 30.

The bank further emphasised its strong financial footing, stating that it has successfully raised and surpassed the new regulatory capital requirement of N500 billion, and is therefore well positioned to continue delivering value to all its key stakeholders.

The Star