- Standard Chartered Ghana Posts GH¢354.26 Million Profit in First Nine Months of 2026
Standard Chartered Bank Ghana’s group profit fell 30.34% in the first nine months of 2026, while customer deposits declined by GH¢2.22 billion against the reported comparative, placing the strength and value of its franchise under scrutiny as its parent explores selling the Ghanaian wealth and retail banking business.
The unaudited results show group profit after tax of GH¢354.26 million, down from GH¢508.57 million a year earlier. Customer deposits stood at GH¢10.46 billion, compared with GH¢12.68 billion in September 2025, while total assets contracted 11.66% to GH¢14.63 billion.
The figures give prospective buyers and shareholders a more demanding backdrop against which to assess the proposed transaction: a profitable institution, but one reporting weaker income, higher expenses and a smaller deposit base.
The scope of the proposed exit is important. Standard Chartered announced on June 25 that it was exploring a sale of its Wealth and Retail Banking business in Ghana. Its Corporate and Investment Banking operation will remain in the country, with any potential transaction subject to regulatory approvals. The announcement therefore concerns withdrawal from a business segment rather than a complete departure from Ghana.
The September results cover the Ghana group as a whole. They do not separately disclose the earnings, deposits or assets of the business earmarked for sale. Consequently, they cannot establish how much of the deterioration arose within retail banking or whether the sale announcement influenced customer behaviour.
Nevertheless, the performance raises questions about the earnings trajectory of the wider institution during the proposed transition.
The clearest pressure came from interest income. Group net interest income the amount earned after deducting interest expenses fell 30.13% to GH¢541.59 million from GH¢775.09 million.
Gross interest income declined to GH¢623.54 million from GH¢902.33 million. Although interest expenses also fell, the reduction was insufficient to protect the bank’s net earnings from interest-bearing activities.
For a prospective purchaser, this would make the composition and durability of retail income an essential area of examination. The published summary does not provide the segment detail needed to determine whether the decline reflects lower yields, changes in asset volumes, currency movements or a combination of factors.
Fee income also weakened. Group net fees and commissions fell 17.71% to GH¢188.72 million from GH¢229.32 million. Gross fee and commission income declined while the associated expenses increased.
This matters to the sale assessment because a wealth and retail banking franchise can generate income from payments, account services, investment distribution and other customer relationships. The group figures do not isolate those activities, but they underline the need to establish which revenue streams a buyer would acquire and how reliably they can grow.
Trading provided a partial cushion. Net trading income increased 18.31% to GH¢426.21 million from GH¢360.24 million, helping offset some of the weakness elsewhere.
However, stronger trading earnings could not prevent group operating income from falling to GH¢1.15 billion from GH¢1.39 billion.
Expenses moved in the opposite direction. Total group operating expenses increased 6.05% to GH¢670.74 million, including personnel costs of GH¢459.37 million, compared with GH¢433.00 million previously.
Calculated from operating expenses and operating income before impairment reversals, the cost-to-income ratio rose to approximately 58.08% from 45.52%. That indicates a larger share of income was absorbed by running costs.
The results do not identify transaction-related expenses, so the increase cannot be attributed to the proposed disposal. Even so, the combination of falling income and rising costs creates a challenge for management as it seeks to preserve the business’s appeal during the sale process.
When announcing the review, chief executive Xorse Godzi described the retail operation as a “strong franchise with established client base and talented colleagues”. The bank envisaged a phased transition over 18 to 24 months, subject to approvals, while maintaining service continuity.
Customer retention will be a significant consideration throughout that process.
Group deposits were down 17.49% against September 2025. Separately, the cash-flow statement recorded a GH¢1.90 billion reduction from changes in customer deposits during the first nine months of 2026.
Those are different comparisons, but both make the funding base an important area for further explanation. Neither figure proves that customers withdrew funds because of the proposed sale. The summary does not separate retail from corporate deposits or explain the contribution of exchange-rate changes and large account movements.
The asset figures also show a changing balance sheet rather than a uniform retreat from lending.
Customer loans and advances increased 24.43% to GH¢2.54 billion from GH¢2.04 billion. Investment securities, meanwhile, fell to GH¢2.80 billion from GH¢5.47 billion, while amounts due from other banks rose to GH¢4.62 billion from GH¢1.65 billion.
These movements suggest a substantial change in where assets were deployed. They do not establish whether that change was connected to preparations for the retail sale.
Credit quality presents another issue for scrutiny. The disclosed gross non-performing loan ratio increased to 23.25% from 21.75%. However, the ratio excluding the loss category was much lower, at 0.76%, compared with 0.60%.
That distinction matters: the headline ratio alone does not show how much exposure has already been provided for or the likelihood of recovery. A buyer would need detailed information on the particular loans included in any transaction.
Impairment reversals of GH¢73.96 million supported earnings, more than double the GH¢36.23 million recorded a year earlier. Despite that benefit, group profit before tax declined to GH¢558.02 million from GH¢793.07 million.
Shareholder distributions were substantial. Dividends paid during the period totalled GH¢673.48 million, compared with GH¢227.35 million previously, and exceeded profit earned in the current nine-month period.
That comparison does not mean the dividend was funded solely from current earnings. Opening reserves also form part of the equity position. After dividends and other movements, group shareholders’ funds stood at GH¢2.49 billion, down from GH¢2.83 billion at January 1.
The disclosed capital adequacy ratio remained broadly stable at 23.12%, against 23.20%, and the bank reported no statutory liquidity defaults or accompanying sanctions.
For Standard Chartered, the task is now to maintain customer confidence and earnings while pursuing its strategic review. For potential buyers, the central question is what the retail franchise can earn independently, after accounting for funding, staffing, technology and transition costs.
The September figures sharpen those questions. They show a business environment in which profitability remains substantial, but protecting the value of the operation offered for sale will require close attention to deposits, recurring income and operating efficiency.
