The development was disclosed in the group’s latest financial statement, which detailed gains and losses from a broader restructuring of its international portfolio.
According to the filing, the lender recorded a loss of $5.4m on the disposal of Standard Chartered Bank Gambia Limited and a further $5.3m loss on Standard Chartered Bank Cameroon S.A., both figures inclusive of translation adjustments. The handover of the Cameroon business to Access Bank was completed in December.
The divestments were not uniformly negative. Standard Chartered reported sizeable gains elsewhere, including a $238m gain from Standard Chartered Research and Technology India Private Limited and a smaller $1.8m gain from Fourtwothree Pte. Ltd. Additional minor losses were recorded in Kenya.
Strong global earnings offset regional losses
Despite the Africa-related setback, the bank’s broader financial performance remained robust. Operating income rose six per cent to $20.9bn, or eight per cent excluding notable items, supported by record results in Wealth Solutions and Global Markets, alongside strong double-digit growth in Global Banking.
Underlying profit before tax climbed 18 per cent to $7.9bn, while underlying earnings per share jumped 37 per cent to 229.7 cents.
Group chief executive Bill Winters said the bank had “built additional momentum in 2025” and had exceeded its 13 per cent return on tangible equity target ahead of schedule.
He noted that the institution had undergone significant transformation over the past decade but signalled further strategic changes ahead, with more details expected at a capital markets event in May.
Interim chief financial officer Pete Burrill said the performance reflected the continued execution of the bank’s cross-border and affluent banking strategy, which helped clients navigate an uncertain external environment.
He added that the group delivered an underlying return on tangible equity of 14.7 per cent in 2025, comfortably above its earlier target.
The results highlight a familiar theme in global banking, selective geographic exits paired with intensified focus on higher-return segments.
