Access Holdings Plc has assured shareholders that its strategic focus remains firmly on building a stronger and more sustainable institution despite a challenging operating environment.
Speaking at the Group’s 4th Annual General Meeting, Chairman Aigboje Aig Imoukhuede said the true measure of a financial institution is not simply its ability to grow but its ability to do so profitably, sustainably and with discipline over time.
He said the Group’s 2025 performance reflected a deliberate strategy to strengthen its long-term fundamentals while maintaining solid financial results.
Access Holdings reported a Profit Before Tax of N1.007 trillion, supported by the strength of its diversified business model and expanding earnings across key markets.
Total assets rose to N51.56 trillion while customer deposits recorded strong growth.
Aig Imoukhuede said the results should also be viewed in the context of prudent risk management decisions taken during the year.
The Group accelerated provisions on legacy and regulatory forbearance credit exposures, resulting in higher impairment charges as part of efforts to reinforce its balance sheet and strengthen long term resilience.
“Periods of economic uncertainty often reveal more about an institution than periods of uninterrupted growth. Our focus remains on building a business that is not only growing, but improving in the quality, resilience and sustainability of its earnings,” he said.
The meeting also highlighted the continued transformation of Access Holdings beyond traditional banking into a broader financial services ecosystem.
Banking remains the Group’s primary earnings driver, while businesses spanning investment management, pensions, insurance, consumer finance and digital payments are making increasing contributions to overall performance.
Growth platforms including Access ARM Pensions (AAP), Access Insurance Brokers (AIB), Oxygen X Finance and Hydrogen Payments (OXFHP) continue to expand the Group’s presence across retirement services, consumer lending and digital finance.
Looking ahead, Aig Imoukhuede said the Group’s next phase of development is anchored on its “From Scale to Value” strategy.
“Our strategy, From Scale to Value, reflects the natural evolution of our journey. Scale created opportunity; value creation is how we fully realise it,” he said.
He added that while the Group continues to generate strong returns, its long term objective is to ensure earnings per share consistently exceed the cost of capital while unlocking the significant unrealised value embedded within its international subsidiaries.
Addressing concerns over dividend payments, the Board said the temporary suspension of dividends resulted from regulatory compliance requirements rather than any weakening of the Group’s financial position.
Aig Imoukhuede assured shareholders that the Group’s earnings capacity remains robust and reaffirmed the Board’s commitment to resuming dividend payments once the relevant regulatory conditions have been satisfied.
“Our approach is clear: capital retained today must translate into greater value tomorrow and sustainable returns for our shareholders,” he stated.
The meeting also reflected continued progress in governance and leadership succession. During the year, Innocent Ike was appointed Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, while Ibironke Adeyemi joined the Board as an Independent Non Executive Director.
Shareholders also commended Bolaji Agbede, Executive Director, Business Development, for her leadership of the management team during her tenure as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer before the appointment of Ike.
Aig Imoukhuede said the leadership transition was executed seamlessly, ensuring strategic continuity, operational stability and sustained stakeholder confidence.
Despite ongoing macroeconomic uncertainties across its markets, Access Holdings expressed confidence in its strategic positioning, citing disciplined execution, a diversified business model, a strengthened capital base and a commitment to sustainable value creation.
“Our responsibility is to justify the confidence of our shareholders by building an institution that endures, one defined by clarity of purpose, discipline of execution and sustainable value creation over time,” Aig Imoukhuede said.
