*Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, at the company’s 2026 Annual General Meeting, in Lagos, reveals the group’s performance has reflected a deliberate effort at strengthening its long-term fundamentals, maintaining strong earnings growth
Alexander Davis | ConsumerConnect
Access Holdings Plc has restated its commitment to long-term value creation, balance sheet resilience and disciplined growth.
The leading commercial bank said its strategic focus had shifted from building scale to unlocking sustainable shareholder value.
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ConsumerConnect reports Access Holdings disclosed the Group delivered a Profit Before Tax of over N1 trillion 2025.
Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, who stated this while speaking at the company’s fourth Annual General Meeting (AGM) Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Lagos, said the group’s performance reflected a deliberate effort at strengthening its long-term fundamentals while maintaining strong earnings growth.
It is also noted the financial services conglomerate posted a Profit Before Tax (PBT) of N1.007 trillion for the 2025 financial year, while total assets increased to N51.56 trillion.
The bank further indicated the customer deposits recorded strong growth.
This, it stated, underscored what the company described as sustained franchise momentum and deepening customer confidence in the banking and finance sector of the economy.
In his address, Aig-Imoukhuede, however, noted the Access Holdings’ results should be viewed within the context of strategic decisions taken during the year to reinforce the Group’s balance sheet.
Access Holdings accelerated the recognition of legacy exposures, and exited regulatory forbearance positions, leading to elevated impairment charges, he told scores of shareholders at the event.
The Chairman explained the move aimed at strengthening the banking institution’s long-term resilience rather than pursuing short-term earnings optimisation.
Aig-Imoukhuede also said: “Periods of volatility 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 and sustainability of its earnings.”
The fourth AGM underscored the Group’s ongoing transformation from a banking-led institution into diversified financial services one with growing contributions from businesses spanning pensions, insurance, consumer lending, digital finance and payments.
The conglomerate as well highlighted the expanding roles of Access ARM Pensions, Access Insurance Brokers, Oxygen X Finance and Hydrogen Payments in diversifying earnings streams and supporting future growth of the company.
Aig-Imoukhuede stated the Group’s new strategic direction, tagged “From Scale to Value”, yet represents the next phase of its evolution after years of aggressive expansion across Africa and other international markets.
The Chairman of Access Holdings Plc noted: “The strategy, From Scale to Value, reflects the natural evolution of our journey. Scale created opportunity; value creation is how we fully realise it.”
On shareholders’ concerns about dividend payments
Speaking on shareholders’ concerns about the absence of dividend payments, Aig-Imoukhuede revealed that the decision was driven by regulatory alignment and compliance requirements, which affected the banking subsidiary rather than any deterioration in the Group’s earnings capacity.
The Chairman, therefore, assured investors that the Access Holdings Board would remain committed to restoring dividend payments, once regulatory conditions are met.
Retained capital must ultimately translate into stronger long-term shareholder returns, he noted.
He asserted: “Our approach is clear: capital retained today must translate into value delivered tomorrow and sustainable returns to our shareholders.”
Aig-Imoukhuede observed what he described as significant unrealised value within the Group’s international subsidiaries.
He pledged the Group’s efforts at improving market recognition of the intrinsic worth of those businesses.
Access Holdings further reported progress in strengthening governance and leadership continuity, highlighting the appointment of Innocent C. Ike as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, and the addition of Ibironke Adeyemi to the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
It said the leadership changes were executed seamlessly, ensuring continuity of strategy, operational stability and stakeholder confidence.
Commitment to sustainability, financial inclusion and SME support
Besides financial performance, the Access Group equally reaffirmed its commitment to sustainability, financial inclusion and support for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), while continuing investments in education, arts and the creative economy.
It s noted that despite prevailing macroeconomic uncertainties in Nigeria and other markets, Access Holdings yet expressed confidence in its outlook.
The Group cited its diversified business model, strengthened capital base and disciplined execution strategy as key drivers of future growth.
Aig-Imoukhuede, therefore assured Access Group’s shareholders that the company remains focused on building an enduring institution capable of delivering sustainable value over the long term.
He said: “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,” he said.