Zenith Bank reports H1 2026 profit rise and launches Zecathon 6.0

Zenith Bank Plc has reported a 1.9% increase in pre-tax profit for the first half of 2026, reaching N637.6 billion compared to N625.6 billion in the same period last year. This growth was driven by a significant reduction in impairment charges, which fell to N141.1 billion from N762.1 billion, though this was partially offset by a shift from foreign exchange trading gains to a N92.2 billion trading loss. Due to a higher tax bill, profit after tax declined by 19.1% to N430.8 billion.

In addition to its financial performance, the bank launched the sixth edition of its innovation programme, Zecathon 6.0. The initiative features a N190 million prize pool aimed at startups, developers, and students across Africa. The programme includes a Hackathon focused on artificial intelligence and banking challenges, a Startup Pitch Competition for growth-stage ventures, and a new Future Innovators Challenge for senior secondary school students. The competition covers various sectors including healthcare, agriculture, cybersecurity, and e-commerce.