Guinness Nigeria Q2 profit jumps 57% to ₦14.91bn, declares additional ₦7 interim dividend

Stanley Ihedigbo

Guinness Nigeria, has announced a strong financial performance for the second quarter ended June 30, 2026, with profit after tax rising by 57 per cent to ₦14.91 billion, compared with ₦9.48 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.

The company, in its unaudited financial results for the quarter, also announced an additional interim dividend of ₦7.00 per ordinary share, valued at approximately ₦15.33 billion.

The latest dividend declaration comes after the company had earlier paid an interim dividend of ₦2.00 per ordinary share following the first quarter of the financial year. With the additional ₦7.00 dividend, Guinness Nigeria’s total interim dividend declared so far now stands at ₦9.00 per ordinary share.

The development underscores the confidence of the company’s Board in its sustained earnings performance, strong cash generation capacity and long-term growth prospects.

Guinness Nigeria sustained its positive financial momentum during the period under review, recording revenue of ₦142.27 billion, representing a 20 per cent increase from the ₦118.66 billion reported in the corresponding period of 2025.

The company’s gross profit also increased to ₦53.99 billion, while operating profit rose to ₦24.34 billion, reflecting what the company attributed to disciplined execution, improved commercial performance and a continued focus on operational excellence.

The financial position of the company strengthened further during the quarter as net finance costs reduced significantly to ₦1.75 billion, compared with ₦4.61 billion recorded in the prior-year period.

As a result of the improved financial performance and lower finance costs, profit before tax increased to ₦22.59 billion, while profit after tax climbed 57 per cent to ₦14.91 billion.

Earnings per share also improved significantly, rising to ₦6.81 from ₦4.33 in the corresponding period of the previous year.

The Board’s decision to approve the additional ₦7.00 interim dividend, representing an estimated total distribution of ₦15.33 billion, reflects the company’s sustained profitability and stronger financial position.

The additional dividend, when combined with the ₦2.00 per ordinary share interim dividend paid earlier in the financial year, brings the total interim dividend declared to shareholders to ₦9.00 per share.

Commenting on the results, Chairman of the Board, Prof. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN, said the company’s first-half performance demonstrated the resilience of its business and the effectiveness of its long-term strategy.

According to him, the decision to declare an additional interim dividend reinforces the Board’s confidence in the financial strength of Guinness Nigeria and its commitment to creating sustainable long-term value for shareholders.

He said, “Our performance in the first half of the financial year demonstrates the resilience of our business and the effectiveness of our long-term strategy.

The declaration of an additional interim dividend reinforces our confidence in Guinness Nigeria’s financial strength and our commitment to creating sustainable long-term value for shareholders.”

Also speaking on the performance, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guinness Nigeria, Girish Sharma, said the second-quarter results showed that the momentum built by the company was being sustained through disciplined execution and a strong focus on consumers and customers.

Sharma said the company would continue to strengthen its commercial capabilities, improve operational efficiency and invest in its portfolio while maintaining a prudent approach to capital allocation.

He added that Guinness Nigeria was focused on building a high-performance organisation driven by an entrepreneurial spirit, with the ultimate objective of delivering sustainable growth and creating lasting value for all its stakeholders.

“Our Q2 performance demonstrates that the momentum we’ve built is being sustained through disciplined execution and a relentless focus on our consumers and customers. We continue to strengthen our commercial capabilities, improve operational efficiency and invest behind our portfolio, while maintaining a prudent approach to capital allocation,” Sharma said.

He added, “As we continue building a high-performance organisation with an entrepreneurial spirit, we remain focused on delivering sustainable growth and creating lasting value for all our stakeholders.”

The latest results indicate continued improvement in the company’s earnings performance, supported by stronger revenue growth, improved operating performance and a significant reduction in finance costs.

Guinness Nigeria said it remains committed to its “Building for More” strategy, which focuses on driving sustainable growth, strengthening operational excellence and creating lasting value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities in which it operates.

The company expressed confidence in its ability to sustain its growth trajectory while continuing to invest in its brands, strengthen its operations and deliver value to stakeholders.