Access Holdings Plc has posted a strong nine-month result for 2026, recording N474bn profit after tax.
This was disclosed in a statement by the lender on Thursday.
According to the statement, profit before tax increased by 8.3 per cent to N667.4bn, from N616.2bn in 2025, while profit after tax rose by 5.9 per cent to N474.2bn.
Beyond headline figures, interest income rose 6.9 per cent to N3.1tn, net interest income increased 2.7 per cent to N1.3tn and a sharp 73.5 per cent reduction in impairment charges to N92.9bn propelled net interest income after impairment up by 32.1 per cent to N1.2tn.
Fee and commission income grew 8.4 per cent to N650.9bn, driving net fee and commission income up 12.4 per cent to N534.9bn and pushing core operating income to M1.83tn.
However, performance faced pressure as operating expenses rose 11.8 per cent to N1.3 trillion and other operating income fell 40.8 per cent to N234.5bn, resulting in a 3.2 per cent decline in total operating income to N2.06tn.
These pressure points explain why operating efficiency forms the core of the Group’s Scale-to-Value agenda.
Highlighting this strategic pivot, management stated, “The scale-to-value roadmap represents a transition from rapid expansion to improving the quality, cost discipline, and productivity of our established infrastructure to maximise shareholder returns.”
The balance sheet further underscores the group’s scale, with total assets reaching N52.6tb as at 30 September 2026, up 1.7 per cent from year-end 2025.
Customer deposits grew 6.6 per cent to N36.9 trillion, loans and advances rose 7.4 per cent to N14.3 trillion, and shareholders’ funds remained stable at M4.5 trillion.
Access Holdings describes Scale-to-Value as a progression from building scale to improving its quality and productivity.
Strategic focus has shifted from expansion alone to extracting maximum yield from established infrastructure, targeting sustainable shareholder returns as the ultimate objective.
Geographic diversification remains a key earnings driver, with the banking group generating 96.0 per cent of group unaudited profit before tax.
Operations outside Nigeria accounted for 82.2 per cent of banking PBT, driven by international banking subsidiaries at 43.7 per cent and Rest of Africa at 38.5 per cent, while Nigeria contributed 17.8 per cent.
The group is leveraging this international footprint to expand trade finance, transaction banking, payments, and treasury services.
Management’s stated focus is converting this reach into higher shareholder value through stronger execution, robust risk governance, compliance, capital allocation, and operational efficiency.
The strategic framework details five core pillars: execution capacity, risk governance, capital discipline, operating efficiency, and earnings quality. These elements connect directly to operational trends seen in lower impairment charges, fee income expansion, and non-Nigerian earnings growth.
Crucially, the group reported progress on resolving its position under Section 19(8)(c) of the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act.
Capital recalls from six banking subsidiaries are underway to bring Access Bank’s investment-in-subsidiaries ratio within the statutory 10 per cent threshold.
On the regulatory progress, management noted, “The capital recall process across our banking subsidiaries is progressing steadily, which upon completion will align our structure with statutory thresholds and remove historical constraints on dividend distributions.”
Resolving this regulatory requirement removes a major historical constraint on dividend-paying capacity, clearing the path for future distributions. Final dividend decisions will remain subject to financial conditions, reserves, capital needs, and board approvals.
Beyond distributions, capital recalls demonstrate disciplined capital management that enhances financial flexibility across the entity.
It offers a practical illustration of aligning regulatory compliance with improved capital productivity.
Access Holdings’ nine-month 2026 performance demonstrates solid balance-sheet strength, reduced credit risk, and expanding international revenue.
By aligning operational efficiency with its Scale-to-Value roadmap, the Group is positioning itself for durable, high-quality earnings growth.
