ESWATINI · BANKING
As of Sunday 8 November 2026, First National Bank of Eswatini, local arm of FirstRand, a South African banking group, reports profit down 4.1% to E257.7 million (lilangeni, about US$15.6 million). Deposits and loans grew by over a fifth in the year to 30 June, a gauge of credit in a small African economy with thin trade links to America.
Key Facts
- The profit Profit fell 4.1% to E257.7 million (about US$15.6 million) in the year to June 2026.
- The deposits Deposits rose 22.7% to E8.2 billion (about US$496 million).
- The loans Loans rose 21.0% to E5.8 billion (about US$351 million).
- The reach 15 branches, 103 cash machines and digital banking volumes up 34%.
- The owner FNB Eswatini belongs to FirstRand, South Africa’s banking group, and trades on the Eswatini Stock Exchange.
What Happened
FNB Eswatini has operated in the country since 1995 and is a full-service corporate, commercial and retail bank. New readers can start with our guide Eswatini Explained.
Profit after tax for the year to 30 June 2026 was E257.7 million (about US$15.6 million), down from E268.8 million. The report notes that credit losses, which cover loans that may not be repaid, and costs rose, with support costs up 24%.
Total assets grew 17.3% to E12.1 billion (about US$732 million), up from E10.3 billion. The bank paid dividends of E154.3 million (about US$9.3 million) and declared a final dividend of about E54.5 million (about US$3.3 million).
The lilangeni, Eswatini’s currency, is pegged one to one to the South African rand and traded at about E16.52 per US dollar at the 6 November close. All dollar values in this article use that rate.
Deposits and Loans Grew Fast
Total deposits, the money customers keep in the bank, rose 22.7% to E8.2 billion (about US$496 million). Gross advances, meaning the bank’s loans, rose 21.0% to E5.8 billion (about US$351 million).
Active customers rose 9.9% on the previous year. The bank opened 2 new branches to reach 15, and its cash machines grew 2% to 103.
It also counted 1,029 CashPlus agents, up 13%, who take deposits and pay out cash at retailers. Digital banking volumes grew 34% over the year.
Small Businesses and Wider Access
The bank supported 9,215 micro, small and medium enterprises during the year. It raised its Scored Lending limit, an automated, data-driven credit service for small businesses, from E500,000 (about US$30,300) to about E1.5 million (about US$90,800).
It launched Flexible Short-Term Deposits and piloted BizHub, a digitally enabled relationship-banking model for small firms. BizHub reached more than 2,200 customers in its first four months.
Sicalo accounts, which are entry-level accounts, reached 6,828 previously underbanked customers. Underbanked means people who until now used few formal banking services.
Community Spending
The bank and its FNB Eswatini Foundation, its charity arm, spent E5.49 million (about US$332,000) on community projects and sponsorship. Of that, E3.40 million (about US$206,000) came from the foundation and E2.09 million from the bank’s own sponsorships.
Entrepreneurship and humanitarian support were the two largest areas of that spending. The report also names the St Paul’s emergency rehabilitation project among its community work.
Why It Matters
Chief executive Thokozani Dlamini says the bank has spent 30 years building a reputation for helping people. He says it aims to reach more emaSwati, as Eswatini’s people are called, and to build a digital business serving a wider range of needs.
For US readers, the bank is a signal of how credit and savings are growing in a small economy with thin trade links to America. Our report on Eswatini duty-free US access looks at those trade links in detail.
What It Means for Investors
FNB Eswatini has no US listing, so American investors cannot buy it on a US exchange. Its parent FirstRand is the more visible name, and our report on FirstRand eyeing a Kenyan bank shows where the group looks next.
For the wider investment picture, see our Eswatini investment pipeline report. Fast growth in deposits and loans shows demand for banking, while a lower profit shows that costs are rising.
What Is Not Known
The bank has not given a dividend or profit outlook for 2027. The report notes that credit losses and costs rose, and the exact split is not set out here.
Profit slipped as costs and credit losses rose. The next results will show whether the growth in loans and deposits can lift earnings again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much profit did FNB Eswatini make?
Profit after tax was E257.7 million (about US$15.6 million) in the year to 30 June 2026. That was down 4.1% from E268.8 million.
How fast did FNB Eswatini grow?
Deposits rose 22.7% to E8.2 billion (about US$496 million) and loans rose 21.0% to E5.8 billion (about US$351 million). Active customers rose 9.9%.
Can US investors buy FNB Eswatini?
FNB Eswatini has no US listing and trades on the Eswatini Stock Exchange. Its parent FirstRand is a South African banking group.
Sources: First National Bank of Eswatini Limited, Integrated Report 2026 and abridged financial statements for the year ended 30 June 2026, Eswatini Stock Exchange, read 8 November 2026.
This article was produced by The Rio Times’ automated AI newsroom. Editorial responsibility: Matthias Camenzind, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief. How we use AI · Report an error
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