Access Holdings Posts Record N1tn PBT, Equity Hits N4.33tn in Strategic Shift

Access Holdings Plc has unveiled its audited financial results for the year ending December 31, 2025, showcasing a robust performance that signals a significant strategic pivot. The Group's Profit Before Tax (PBT) has crossed the N1tn mark for the first time, settling at an impressive N1.01tn, a 16.2% increase from the previous year. This milestone achievement underscores the company's resilience in a dynamic global operating environment and highlights a successful transition from a decade of aggressive expansion to a more focused model centered on 'value over scale'.

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We have now entered a more deliberate optimisation phase, with a stronger emphasis on returns on capital, earnings quality, and long-term value creation.

The financial report reveals a fortress-like balance sheet, with shareholders' funds climbing a healthy 15% to N4.33tn. This growth is a testament to the Group's disciplined value creation strategy. While the banking subsidiary remains the primary revenue driver, contributing 97% of the total, the results also highlight a substantial deepening of the Group's ecosystem. Net fees and commission income saw a remarkable surge of 40.9% to N585.1bn, demonstrating the success of its non-banking ventures. Furthermore, Access Holdings has sharpened its operational efficiency, successfully reducing its cost-to-income ratio from 56.7% in 2024 to 51.7% in 2025.

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This growth highlights not only the scale of the Group’s operations but also the deepening trust of customers, counterparties, and investors.

Group Managing Director/CEO Innocent Ike commented on the results, stating, "We have now entered a more deliberate optimisation phase, with a stronger emphasis on returns on capital, earnings quality, and long-term value creation." This sentiment is echoed in the official statement from Access Holdings' 2025 Audited Report, which notes the deepening trust of customers, counterparties, and investors, reflected in a 24.3% increase in total assets to N51.57tn and a significant 53.4% growth in customer deposits to N34.56tn.

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Africa remains one of the most compelling long-term growth frontiers globally. Our role is not only to participate in that growth but also to help shape and finance it.

The Group's performance was further bolstered by an improving Nigerian economic landscape, characterized by strengthening GDP growth and rising foreign exchange reserves. Access Holdings views Africa as a key long-term growth frontier and is committed to shaping and financing its development. As reported by The Punch, the company's strategic direction, anchored on strong governance and disciplined execution, positions it to deliver consistent, high-quality returns and build a financial institution designed to endure the test of time. This focus on disciplined value creation and robust governance resonates strongly within Nigeria, emphasizing stability and sustainable growth.

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At Access Holdings, we have built an institution designed to endure, anchored on strong governance, disciplined execution, and a clear strategic direction.