TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - State-owned lender PT Bank Negara Indonesia (BNI) reported a healthy growth of 17.7 percent in net profit to Rp2.82 trillion in the first quarter of this year from the same period last year.

BNI President Ahmad Baiquni attributed the increase in net profit to rise in both interest income and fee based income.

Net interest income of the bank rose 15.3 percent on-year to Rp6.1 trillion in the first three months of the year and non interest income surged 23.8 percent to Rp2.94 trillion.

Increase in non interest income was attributable mainly to growing fee-based income in insurance premium, ATM transactions, pension fund, bill payments and PPOB (payment point online bank), bancassurance and credit card.

Baiquni said the new management of BNI already started work with focus on three business segments -- corporate, medium and small enterprise and consumer credits.

"Though Q1 of 2015 began with seasonal slowdown, we are optimistic with long term growth and to reach main business targets of the bank," he said.

With an increase in interest rate, the bank management could increasethe bank's net interest margin (NIM) to 6.5 percent from 6.1 percent in the same period last year.

ANTARA NEWS