By Yakubu LAAH InvestAdvocate

Lagos (INVESTADVOCATE)-Nigeria’s mid-tier lender Diamond Bank Plc on Wednesday said its third quarter (Q3) pretax profit for the period ended September 30, 2014 declined 7.2 percent to N23.7 billion from N25.6 billion in the Q3 period of 2013, according to a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

The lender recorded a Profit after tax (PAT) of N20.180 billion in the review period of 2014 compared with N20.050 billion posted in the same period of 2013; indicating a 0.6 percent growth.

However, interest income climbed up 12.2 percent to N120.03 billion from N106.9 billion in the corresponding period of 2013.

At the close of trading Wednesday on the Nigerian bourse, Diamond Bank recorded 0.99 kobo gain as it share price opened N5.89 and closed at N6.15; gaining 2.84 percent.This is coming on the heels of the appointment of Uzoma Dozie, as the new chief executive officer of the Nigerian mid-tier lender.