Access Holdings Plc says it is working towards restoring dividend payments after resolving regulatory compliance issues that halted shareholder payouts for the 2025 financial year, even as the group posted record earnings of over N1 trillion in profit before tax.
The holding company disclosed this during its Full Year 2025 Investors and Earnings Call, where management addressed concerns over the absence of dividend payments for the year ended December 31, 2025.
According to the company, the suspension of dividends was not driven by weak profitability or liquidity pressures but by the need to comply with regulatory and prudential guidelines before securing approval for shareholder distributions.
Innocent C. Ike, group managing director and chief executive officer of Access Holdings, said the company remains committed to rewarding investors and restoring dividend payments on a sustainable basis.
“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,” Ike said.
The company delivered a strong financial performance in 2025, with gross earnings rising by 13.3 percent to N5.53 trillion, supported by growth in net interest income and a 40.9 percent increase in fees and commissions income to N585.07 billion.
Profit before tax climbed by 16.2 percent to N1.01 trillion, marking the first time the Group crossed the N1 trillion threshold.
Total assets also expanded by 24.2 percent to N51.56 trillion, driven by business expansion and the integration of recently acquired subsidiaries. Meanwhile, the Group improved its cost-to-income ratio to 51.7 percent from 56.7 percent, reflecting stronger operating efficiency and cost discipline.
Capital adequacy ratios also remained above regulatory requirements, with the holding company posting 18.2 percent and the banking subsidiary ending the year at 20.2 percent.
“Our performance in 2025 demonstrates the strength of the franchise and its capacity to generate value for shareholders. Our focus is to ensure that shareholder distributions resume on a sustainable basis once all regulatory conditions are satisfied and the required approvals are obtained,” Ike added.
Access Holdings explained that while dividends were recommended at both half-year and full-year stages in 2025, approvals were not granted by regulators.
The Group noted that the earlier issue linked to Section 7.1 of the Central Bank of Nigeria Guidelines for Financial Holding Companies has now been resolved following the completion of an approved private placement.
However, an additional regulatory issue later emerged under Section 19(8)(c) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA), which limits investments in foreign banking subsidiaries relative to shareholders’ funds.
To address the issue, Access Holdings said it has been granted a 12-month remediation period and plans to partially divest from some banking subsidiaries while retaining super-majority ownership.
According to Ike, maintaining strong regulatory relationships and preserving balance sheet resilience remain central to the Group’s long-term strategy.
“In line with our long-standing culture of prudence and sound governance, the Board remains committed to balance sheet strength and capital resilience, as the basis for sustainable shareholder distributions,” he said.
The Group added that it is strengthening its capital and liquidity buffers to support the sustainable return of dividend payments once all regulatory conditions are fulfilled.
“We remain actively engaged with the investment community and focused on resolving the matters raised within the prescribed timeline. Our priority remains delivering sustainable long-term value to shareholders through stronger execution, improved financial performance, and disciplined growth,” Ike stated.
He added that Access Holdings remains well-positioned to leverage its scale, geographic diversification, and strong franchise to deliver resilient earnings growth and stronger shareholder returns over the long term.