Regional Growth Drives Equity Bank’s Profit Surge as Reliance on Kenya Eases

Equity Bank’s strong profit growth in 2025 is increasingly being driven by its regional operations, showing a shift from heavy reliance on the Kenyan market to a more balanced, multi-country model. The lender reported a 55 percent jump in after-tax profit to Sh75.5 billion, up from Sh48.8 billion in 2024, with subsidiaries across East and Central Africa playing a key role in the growth.

While Kenya remained the largest contributor, generating Sh39.2 billion in profit, the share of earnings from other markets continued to expand, pointing to a more diversified income base.

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) stood out as a major growth engine, posting a 58 percent rise in profit to Sh24.7 billion, making it one of the bank’s most important markets outside Kenya. Other regional units also recorded gains. Rwanda delivered Sh5.4 billion, while Tanzania contributed Sh2.7 billion. In Uganda, profits surged sharply by 300 percent to Sh3.6 billion, marking the fastest growth among the group’s subsidiaries.

The combined performance of these markets means that regional businesses now contribute about half of the group’s total banking profits, reducing the bank’s exposure to risks in a single economy. This shift reflects Equity’s long-term strategy of expanding across Africa, not just to grow its presence, but to build multiple sources of income that can support stability during economic changes in any one country.

The bank attributes the strong results to diversified revenue streams, improved efficiency, and a stronger financial position, which have helped sustain growth across its markets.

The improved earnings also allowed the bank to increase returns to shareholders, with the board raising the full-year dividend payout by 35.3 percent to Sh21.7 billion. These results show that Equity’s regional expansion is now paying off, as the bank moves from being a Kenya-focused lender to a broader African financial group with stronger resilience and growth potential.