Nib International Bank Returns to Profit With 4.2 Billion Birr Pre-Tax Earnings
Nib International Bank has returned to profitability after a challenging year marked by foreign exchange losses, reporting a pre-tax profit of 4.2 billion Birr for the 2025/26 fiscal year as the lender strengthened deposits, expanded lending and accelerated its digital banking business.
The performance represents a significant turnaround from the previous fiscal year, when the bank recorded a 2.9 billion Birr pre-tax loss following Ethiopia’s transition to a market-based foreign exchange regime. At the time, Nib attributed the loss to legacy foreign currency obligations opened before the exchange rate reform, which resulted in 4.4 billion Birr in foreign exchange-related losses and forced the bank to suspend dividend payments to preserve capital.
The latest results, announced during the bank’s annual management performance review held on 24–25 July under the theme “Journey to 2030 for Greater Success,” suggest that the recovery strategy has begun to restore earnings while improving the bank’s balance sheet.
Financial Performance at a Glance
| Indicator | FY2025/26 |
|---|---|
| Pre-tax profit | 4.2 billion Birr |
| Total assets | 75 billion Birr |
| Customer deposits | 59 billion Birr (+14%) |
| Loans disbursed | 49 billion Birr |
| Foreign exchange earnings | US$154 million |
| Customers | 5 million |
| Branches | 449 |
| Nibtera transaction value | 32 billion Birr |
Customer deposits increased 14 percent year-on-year to 59 billion Birr, while total assets climbed to 75 billion Birr, reflecting continued expansion across the bank’s core operations.
The lender also generated US$154 million in foreign exchange earnings and disbursed 49 billion Birr in loans during the fiscal year, while its customer base reached five million through a nationwide network of 449 branches.
Digital banking continued to play a larger role in the bank’s strategy. Nib said its Nibtera platform processed transactions worth 32 billion Birr during the year, supported by the rollout of new services including Nibtera Virtual Mastercard, Digital Onboarding, Nibtera Gebeya, and Nibtera Tickets.
The expansion reflects broader changes across Ethiopia’s banking industry, where commercial banks are investing heavily in digital channels to improve customer acquisition, transaction volumes and operational efficiency.
Management said the bank will continue prioritizing digital transformation and customer-focused services during the 2026/27 fiscal year as it seeks to build on the recovery.
The results also highlight how some Ethiopian banks are beginning to stabilize after absorbing the initial impact of last year’s foreign exchange reforms, which created significant accounting and liquidity pressures across parts of the banking sector. For Nib International Bank, the return to profitability signals a notable financial recovery following one of the most challenging years in its recent history.
source: EBR