Amenfiman Community Bank delivers 71% return to shareholders, profit jumps 180%

If you invested in Amenfiman Community Bank a year ago, you just made 71% back. That's not a typo.

The rural bank, headquartered in Wassa Akropong in the Western Region, has declared a total return of 71% for shareholders for the 2025 financial year. Profit after tax hit GH¢154.9 million — a 180% jump from the previous year.

How did a community bank pull numbers that would make the big boys in Accra jealous?

CEO Dr. Alexander Asmah says it comes down to one thing: taking risks that other banks run from, and managing them well.

"What we do is that we take the risk, manage the risk, and do the business that most banks and financial institutions say isn't possible," Dr. Asmah said. "We tackle issues of agric financing and MSME financing. We do it so well that we mitigate the risk. So instead of the whole country recording 20% in non-performing loans, we recorded 1.6% in non-performing loans."

That 1.6% non-performing loan (NPL) ratio is radically lower than the industry average. According to the Bank of Ghana, the industry NPL ratio stood at about 20% in recent years. Amenfiman's tight credit management means fewer bad loans, which directly boosts profitability.

The bank's total assets have ballooned to over GH¢2.8 billion — a 2,500% increase from 2015. Deposits crossed GH¢2.3 billion, growing 48% from GH¢1.55 billion in 2024. Lending also surged: the bank disbursed GH¢1.60 billion in loans in 2025, up 182% year-on-year.

Operating income grew 79%, driven by an 82% rise in interest income, while interest expense rose only 67%. That gap — earning more on loans while keeping deposit costs in check — is a key driver of the profit jump.

Dividends and capital boost

The board has proposed paying out 30% of net profit as dividends — that's GH¢46.4 million. Of that, 15% will be issued as bonus shares, and the rest paid in cash. Last year, the bank paid GH¢11 million in bonus shares and GH¢5.5 million in cash.

Shareholders also agreed to reinvest part of their dividends into the bank, pushing its capital from GH¢71 million to a projected GH¢94 million. The target is to cross GH¢100 million by October this year.

Board Chairman Prof. Lucas Nana Wiredu Damoah said the bank is preparing for tougher times ahead. "While these macroeconomic changes may create profitability pressures in the short term, the Board believes that through disciplined balance sheet management, strong liquidity planning, and proactive pricing decisions, the Bank will be positioned to navigate the changing operating environment effectively."

Branch expansion

The bank is also spreading its physical presence. It has received Bank of Ghana approval to acquire a new branch at the Takoradi Market Circle, expected to open in the next financial year. Another branch is under construction at Wassa Japa, and a multipurpose banking and office complex is going up at the Wassa Akropong High Street branch.

Dr. Asmah said the capital build-up will "further strengthen the Bank's capacity to support future growth, comply with evolving regulatory expectations, finance larger transactions, and position itself competitively within Ghana's financial services industry."