Access Holdings Plc has reaffirmed its long-term value creation strategy after reporting a profit before tax of N1.007 trillion for the 2025 financial year.
The disclosure was made during the company’s 4th Annual General Meeting held in Lagos, where Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede said the Group remained focused on strengthening its balance sheet, maintaining disciplined growth, and delivering sustainable earnings rather than pursuing short-term performance gains.
He said the Group’s 2025 performance reflects a deliberate strategic shift towards improving fundamentals while maintaining strong profitability.
According to him, the true measure of a financial institution is not only expansion but the sustainability and quality of its earnings over time.
“The defining test of a financial institution is not merely its capacity for growth, but its ability to grow profitably, sustainably, and with discipline over time,” he said.
The Group also reported total assets of N51.56 trillion, supported by growth across its diversified earnings base and increasing customer deposits, which the Board attributed to strong franchise performance and rising customer confidence.
However, the Chairman noted that the results came alongside deliberate balance sheet clean-up measures, including accelerated recognition of legacy exposures and the exit from regulatory forbearance positions, which contributed to higher impairment charges.
He explained that these steps were taken intentionally to strengthen long-term financial stability rather than maximise short-term profits.
“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,” he added.
The AGM also highlighted the Group’s ongoing transition into a broader financial services ecosystem spanning banking, insurance, pensions, investment management, consumer finance, and digital payments.
Subsidiaries such as Access ARM Pensions, Access Insurance Brokers, Oxygen X Finance, and Hydrogen Payments were identified as key drivers of the Group’s expanding digital finance and diversified earnings strategy.
Aig-Imoukhuede described the transformation as an “ideas-to-ventures” model aimed at positioning Access Holdings as an innovation-driven financial platform rather than a traditional banking group.
Looking ahead, he said the Group’s strategy has evolved from scale expansion to value creation.
“The 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 also noted that narrowing the gap between returns and cost of equity remains a priority for improving shareholder value, while acknowledging significant unrealised potential in the Group’s international operations.
On dividends, the Board explained that the decision not to declare payouts was driven by regulatory requirements within its banking subsidiary, stressing that it does not reflect weak earnings capacity but prudent capital management.
“Our approach is clear: capital retained today must translate into value delivered tomorrow and sustainable returns to our shareholders,” he stated.
The Group confirmed leadership changes during the year, including the appointment of Innocent C. Ike as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and the addition of Ibironke Adeyemi as an Independent Non-Executive Director, saying the moves were aimed at ensuring stability and continuity.
Access Holdings also restated its commitment to sustainability initiatives, including financial inclusion, SME development, education, and support for the creative economy.
Despite economic challenges, the Group expressed confidence in its outlook, citing its diversified structure, strong capital base, and disciplined execution strategy.
Aig-Imoukhuede concluded that the Group’s focus remains on long-term value creation and institutional resilience.
“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.
