By Ayomide Otitoju
Access Holdings Plc has reaffirmed its commitment to long-term shareholder value and sustainable returns following its 2025 financial year performance, while explaining the decision not to declare a dividend for the period ended December 31, 2025.
The clarification was given during the Group’s Full Year 2025 Investors and Earnings Call, where management addressed investor concerns over the absence of dividend payments despite strong earnings growth and balance sheet expansion.
The Group stated that the dividend suspension was not driven by weak performance, but by the need to comply with prudential regulatory requirements before distributions could be made.
Speaking on the development, Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Innocent C. Ike, said the decision reflected regulatory alignment rather than financial constraints.
“Access Holdings has a strong history of consistent dividend payments, and rewarding shareholders remains a core priority for the Board and Management. The non-payment of dividend for 2025 was not due to earnings weakness or cash flow constraints, but an alignment with regulatory and prudential guidelines,” he said.
Despite the dividend suspension, the Group reported strong results for 2025, with gross earnings rising 13.3 percent to ₦5.53 trillion. Profit before tax climbed 16.2 percent to ₦1.01 trillion, crossing the ₦1 trillion mark for the first time in its history.
Total assets grew by 24.2 percent to ₦51.56 trillion, while fees and commissions rose 40.9 percent to ₦585.07 billion. The cost-to-income ratio improved to 51.7 percent from 56.7 percent, reflecting tighter cost control and improved efficiency. Capital adequacy remained robust at 18.2 percent for the holding company and 20.2 percent for its banking subsidiary.
Access Holdings Plc explained that dividend recommendations at both half-year and full-year stages in 2025 were affected by regulatory approval constraints.
It noted that the half-year issue, linked to Section 7.1 of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s guidelines for financial holding companies, has been resolved following a private placement. However, a new constraint under Section 19(8)(c) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) has required further remediation, with a 12-month window granted for compliance.
The Group said it will partially divest from some banking subsidiaries while retaining majority control as part of efforts to meet regulatory thresholds.
Innocent C. Ike added that the Group remains focused on maintaining regulatory confidence and strengthening its capital base to support future dividend resumption.
He said: “Our priority remains delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders through stronger execution, improved financial performance and disciplined growth. Subject to the successful conclusion of this process and the necessary approvals, our objective is to restore dividend payments on a sustainable basis.”
The Group reiterated its commitment to transparent communication with investors as it works to resolve outstanding regulatory matters within the stipulated timeline.
