Nigeria's First Bank H1 pre-tax profit 3.2 bln naira

LAGOS, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Nigeria's First Bank (FBNP.LG) said on Tuesday its group pre-tax profit fell to 3.19 billion naira ($21 million) in the six months to the end of September from just over 30 billion naira a year earlier.

The group said it had non-performing loans and advances of 74.38 billion naira at the end of September, almost five times the level a year earlier. Gross earnings rose to 128.14 billion naira from 96.95 billion in the same period of last year. (For more Reuters Africa coverage and to have your say on the top issues, visit: af.reuters.com/ ) (Reporting by Chijioke Ohuocha; Writing by Nick Tattersall)