By Ayomide Otitoju
Access has emerged as the largest source of CFA candidates among employers in Nigeria, according to new data from CFA Society Nigeria.
The development highlights the growing emphasis on professional development and investment expertise within the country’s financial services sector.
In its “Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work” series, CFA Society Nigeria ranked Access first among employers of CFA candidates nationwide, with 82 professionals enrolled in the CFA Programme.
The figure is more than twice the 38 candidates recorded by the second-placed institution and places Access ahead of other banks and financial services companies on the list.
Access also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders, with 11 professionals who have completed all three levels of the programme and met its professional experience and ethics requirements.
CFA Society Nigeria said the data was compiled from its Salesforce Membership Database as of June 2026. The organisation said the exercise was aimed at recognising employers whose professionals contribute rigour, integrity and global best practices to the workplace.
The rankings highlight the growing importance of talent development within Nigeria’s financial sector, as institutions seek to build a stronger pool of professionals with globally recognised investment and analytical skills.
Access Holdings Group Chief Executive Officer, Innocent C. Ike, said the achievement reflected the group’s commitment to developing professionals and building institutions capable of enduring over time.
“Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure,” Ike said.
The growing number of CFA candidates and charterholders within financial institutions also contributes to the wider professional talent pool available to Nigeria’s capital markets, pension funds and asset management industry.
For Access, the development aligns with its ambition to become the “World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group”, with professional development positioned as an important part of its long-term growth strategy
