Dar es Salaam — CRDB Bank Group has significantly expanded its role in driving economic growth across East and Central Africa, channelling 13.7tri/- in loans and advances into key sectors including trade, manufacturing, infrastructure and Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs).
This expansion reflects the Bank’s growing impact beyond traditional financial intermediation, positioning it as a critical enabler of business growth, cross-border trade and enterprise development across Tanzania, Burundi, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the wider region.
CRDB Group Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Dr Abdulmajid Nsekela (pictured) has said the bank’s focus is not just on growth, but on translating it into real economic impact.
“We are deliberately channelling capital into the sectors that drive employment, enable trade and strengthen resilience across our economies,” Dr Nsekela told journalists on Tuesday when announcing the Bank’s 2025 financial statement.
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The Bank’s ability to scale this impact is underpinned by strong financial performance in 2025. Total assets increased by 33.6 per cent to 22.3tri/-, while customer deposits grew by 36.1 per cent to 14.7tri/-, providing a solid liquidity base to sustain continued expansion. Net profit after tax rose by 32.1 per cent to 728.6bn/-, with shareholders’ funds reaching 2.78tri/-.
The Group CEO said having crossed the 1.0tri/- profit before tax milestone, the bank is now leveraging its scale and financial strength to deepen its contribution to the real economy, moving beyond performance to measurable impact. Additionally, operating income rose to 1.03tri/-, supported by strong net interest income and continued growth in noninterest revenue streams, particularly fees and commissions.
“This reflects increased transaction volumes, digital adoption and deeper engagement with customers across markets,” Dr Nsekela said. Beyond financial performance, the Bank continues to advance inclusive and sustainable finance through its broader ecosystem, including initiatives under the CRDB Bank Foundation and CRDB Insurance.
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These efforts are expanding access to finance for small businesses, women and young entrepreneurs, while supporting sectors aligned with long-term economic resilience.
“We are positioning CRDB as a catalyst for inclusive growth,” Dr Nsekela added. “Our priority is to ensure that capital reaches the segments that unlock opportunity, support livelihoods and enable sustainable development at scale.” The Group also recorded improved operational efficiency, with the cost-to-income ratio declining to 41.6 per cent from 45.9 per cent, as revenue growth outpaced cost expansion.
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Asset quality remained stable, with a non-performing loan ratio of 2.89 per cent, reflecting disciplined risk management alongside rapid growth. The CRDB Chief Financial Officer, Mr Frederick Nshekanabo, said the lender’s strong fundamentals continue to support both profitability and sustainability.
“Our return on equity of approximately 29.5 per cent demonstrates our ability to generate strong value for shareholders while continuing to reinvest for growth,” he said.
He added: “At the same time, our earnings asset ratio of over 84 per cent shows that a significant portion of our assets are actively generating income, supporting long-term performance.”
This strong performance has also been reflected in the capital markets, where CRDB Bank’s share price has increased by over 300 per cent to around 2,940/- yesterday from 670/- in 2024, making it one of the best-performing counters on the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange pushing market capitalisation 7.5tri/-, reinforcing its position as one of the most valuable listed financial institutions in the region.
As CRDB Bank continues to grow, its strategy remains anchored in connecting capital to opportunity, supporting businesses to scale and strengthening the economic systems that underpin long-term development across East and Central Africa.