Kenyan banker Rasik Kantaria to get $4.9 million dividend from Mauritius-based lender FMBcapital

Kenyan investor and banker Rasik Kantaria is set to receive a $4.9 million dividend from his stake in Mauritius-based lender FMBcapital Holdings Plc, adding to his income from one of the region’s more established cross-border banking groups.

Kantaria aligns with dividend distribution schedule

Kantaria, who co-founded the group in 1995 with Malawian banker Hitesh Anadkat, owns a 21.36 percent stake, equal to about 525 million shares. On that basis, he will receive the payout when the company distributes its final dividend on July 3, alongside other shareholders.

The payment is part of a broader $16.47 million final dividend, following a board recommendation of $0.0067 per share. Together with an interim dividend of $1.57 million paid earlier in the year, Kantaria’s total dividend for the period will rise to $6.47 million.

Regional lending drives earnings growth

The payout comes after another year of stronger earnings for FMBcapital, which started as a commercial bank in Blantyre, Malawi, and has since expanded across Southern Africa. The group now operates in Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe, spreading its loan book and income sources across multiple markets.

For the year ended 2025, the bank reported profit after tax of $152.2 million, up from $103.5 million a year earlier. Growth was supported by higher contributions from its main lending units and improved performance across its regional operations. Total operating income rose to $385.47 million from $278.3 million.

The balance sheet also strengthened over the period. Total assets increased 23 percent to $2.54 billion, while shareholders’ equity climbed to $425.72 million. Retained earnings rose to $273.75 million, reflecting improved profitability across its regional operations.

Kantaria’s portfolio spans banking and insurance

Beyond FMBcapital, Kantaria also leads Prime Bank and Prime Capital Holdings. His interests extend into insurance through Tausi Assurance Company, where he serves as chairman.

He previously sat on the board of the Deposit Protection Fund, an appointment made by the Central Bank of Kenya. His wider investments span tourism, real estate, and manufacturing, reflecting a spread of holdings across several parts of the economy.