Nigeria Unity Bank said on Tuesday its 9-month pre-tax profit jumped 48 percent to 4.44 billion naira ($28.22 million), compared with 3 billion naira in the same period a year ago.

Gross earnings in the year to September rose to 38.91 billion naira from 30.72 billion naira, while loans grew by 48.28 percent to 178.05 billion naira in the period, the bank said in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

Its shares were up 1.64 percent on the day to 0.62 naira on the local bourse by 1420 GMT. ($1 = 157.35 naira)

Source: Reuters (Reporting by Oludare Mayowa)