By Seun Ibiyemi
HabariPay Limited, the fintech subsidiary of Guaranty Trust Holding Company (GTCO), has reported a profit before tax (PBT) of ₦4.02 billion for the first half of 2025, representing a 95 per cent surge from the ₦2.07 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2024.
The figure, disclosed in GTCO’s half-year financial statement for the period ended June 30, 2025, shows that HabariPay contributed about 0.67 per cent of the Group’s total pre-tax profit, underscoring its growing influence in Nigeria’s digital payments ecosystem.
The company’s operating income climbed by 82 per cent to ₦5.05 billion in H1 2025, compared to ₦2.77 billion in the same period of 2024.
This growth was driven by higher transaction volumes and greater adoption of its innovative payment solutions.
Although operating expenses rose to ₦1.03 billion from ₦703.3 million last year, largely reflecting expansion costs and increased investment, HabariPay maintained strong operational efficiency.
This helped sustain robust profitability, even in a period marked by rising business costs across Nigeria’s fintech industry.
The company reported no loan impairment charges or taxation during the review period, demonstrating the resilience of its lean and efficient business model.
Industry analysts note that HabariPay’s performance mirrors the broader momentum in Nigeria’s fintech landscape, which continues to attract significant investor interest.
In 2024 alone, the sector received over $2 billion in funding, buoyed by strong smartphone adoption, a youthful population, and supportive regulatory reforms.
Meanwhile, GTCO, the parent company reported a pre-tax profit of ₦600.9 billion for the same period, reflecting a 40 per cent year-on-year decline, primarily due to a steep drop in foreign exchange gains.
FX revaluation income fell sharply from over ₦600 billion in H1 2024 to just ₦26 billion in H1 2025.
Despite this decline, investor confidence in GTCO remains high. The Group’s share price has risen steadily from ₦29.20 in 2020 to ₦94.00 as of October 15, 2025, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 28 per cent. The stock is also up 64 per cent year-to-date, outperforming many peers in the financial sector.
Over the past five years, GTCO’s profit after tax (PAT) has grown at a CAGR of 50 per cent, outpacing industry heavyweight Zenith Bank, which posted a 45 per cent CAGR in the same period.
With HabariPay’s exceptional growth and GTCO’s solid market fundamentals, analysts say the Group’s long-term strategy of diversifying into digital finance continues to yield strong results, positioning it as one of the leading players driving Nigeria’s financial innovation agenda.