Sri Lanka’s three state-owned banks — People’s Bank, Bank of Ceylon and National Savings Bank — reported their strongest financial performances in history for 2025, chairmen told President Anura Kumara Dissanayake when presenting the annual reports at the Presidential Secretariat on Monday.
Bank of Ceylon recorded the highest profit in its 87-year history, according to Chairman Kavinda De Soysa. Pre-tax profit reached Rs. 120.8 billion, with Rs. 77 billion paid to the government in taxes.
People’s Bank Chairman Prof. Narada Fernando said his bank posted its highest-ever profit, at Rs. 64.4 billion before tax and Rs. 40 billion after tax.
National Savings Bank Chairman Dr. Harsha Cabraal reported a pre-tax profit of Rs. 59 billion — also a record — and the bank contributed Rs. 6 billion in dividends to the Treasury.
The three chairpersons attributed the results to government policies, financial discipline and staff contributions. Finance Minister Anil Jayantha Fernando and senior Finance Ministry officials attended the presentation.
The record profits come at a sensitive moment for Sri Lanka’s banking sector, with the Central Bank still auditing the Rs. 13 billion NDB fraud that has prompted parliamentary scrutiny of CBSL oversight. The state banks’ performance contrasts sharply with the private-sector scandal and will strengthen the government’s case that the fraud was isolated. The combined tax and dividend remittance from all three banks exceeds Rs. 123 billion, a meaningful contribution to Treasury revenues as Sri Lanka navigates its IMF programme.
