STANDARD TIMES PRESS SIERRA LEONE Ecobank Group Releases 2008 Results:Pan-African Bank Increases Revenues By 60 Percent PAGE

The Ecobank Group is pleased to release its results for 2008. The group posted an all round strong performance for the year. Gross revenues rose more than 60 percent from US$697 million in 2007 to US$1.2 billion in 2008.

Profit before tax fell slightly from US$191 million in 2007 to US$162 million in 2008. This slight drop was despite the international financial crisis and the drop in the value of the bank’s local currencies relative to the dollar. The group’s asset base grew considerably from US$6.6 billion to US$8.3 billion. The number of Ecobank branches and offices also increased from 450 to 610 across its vast network, and the group bolstered its steadily growing customer base from 1,202,271 customers in 2007 to 1,841,934 customers in 2008.

“These encouraging figures position the Ecobank Group for better results for our investors,” says Arnold Ekpe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI), the parent company of the Ecobank Group. “Despite the backdrop of much turmoil in international financial markets, we are today a stronger bank, poised to make continued returns for our shareholders.”

Print this article - Email this article

---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ---------- ----------