By Aduragbemi Omiyale

The non-payment of dividends for the year ended December 31, 2025, by Access Holdings Plc has continued to generate reactions from shareholders and others.

The company, in a statement made available to Business Post on Thursday, explained that the cash reward was not given to investors in the fiscal year because it could not get the regulatory clearance.

It dismissed insinuations that the decision not to pay shareholders a dividend was due to weak performance in the period under review.

Last year, Access Holdings delivered a resilient and diversified performance, underscoring its capacity to generate sustainable shareholder returns.

Gross earnings grew by 13.3 per cent to N5.53 trillion, supported by strong growth in net interest income and a 40.9 per cent increase in fees and commissions to N585.07 billion.

Profit before tax rose by 16.2 per cent to N1.01 trillion, while total assets expanded by 24.2 per cent to N51.56 trillion, reflecting scale accretion and the successful integration of recently acquired subsidiaries.

Its cost-to-income ratio improved significantly from 56.7 per cent to 51.7 per cent, driven by disciplined cost management and operating leverage. Capital adequacy remained strong at 18.2 per cent at the holding company level, while the banking subsidiary ended the year with a capital adequacy ratio of 20.2 per cent.

Shareholders would have thought something would drop into their bank accounts, but Access Holdings did not pay a cash reward despite recommending this.

“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,” the chief executive of Access Holdings, Mr Innocent Ike, was quoted as saying in the statement.

“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,” Mr Ike added.

It was explained that while dividends were recommended at both the half-year and full-year in 2025, regulatory approvals were not obtained. At the half-year stage, the constraint related to Section 7.1 of the CBN Guidelines for Financial Holding Companies, which has since been fully resolved following the successful completion of an approved private placement.

At full year, an additional matter arose under Section 19(8)(c) of BOFIA, which places limits on investments in foreign banking subsidiaries relative to shareholders’ funds. The group has been granted a twelve-month window to fully remediate this position. The company noted it will partially divest from some banking subsidiaries but will still retain its super majority shareholding.

According to Mr Ike, “Maintaining the confidence of our regulators, depositors and stakeholders is fundamental to our operating philosophy. 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.”

However, the organisation reassured stakeholders that it remains committed to engaging constructively with all relevant stakeholders to address the matters raised and achieve alignment with applicable requirements within the stipulated timeline.

Reaffirming management’s confidence, Mr Ike stated: “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. Subject to the successful conclusion of this process and the necessary approvals, our objective is to restore dividend payments on a sustainable basis.”

Concluding, he said, “Access Holdings is uniquely positioned to leverage its scale, geographic diversification and strong franchise to deliver resilient earnings growth, stronger returns and enhanced long-term shareholder value.”

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

Two suspected fraudsters, identified as Oguntoyinbo Olawale and Kazeem Omokayode, are currently in police custody, explaining what they know about the N713.9 billion diverted from the bank accounts of 15 customers of a financial institution in Nigeria.

A statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr Anthony Okon Placid, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), disclosed that the suspects worked in connivance with a Chinese national, simply identified as Linda, who is at large, to carry out the alleged act.

They were accused of using personal identification details, including Bank Verification Number (BVN), National Identification Number (NIN), and other credentials, to open multiple bank accounts across various financial institutions, mainly to receive, conceal, and launder illicit proceeds.

The fraud syndicate was busted by the Police Special Fraud Unit (PSFU) after a complaint from the bank, which observed a series of unauthorised debits linked to security breaches associated with a third-party platform.

Personnel of PSFU deployed advanced investigative and digital forensic techniques, and found out that 15 customers’ accounts were compromised, with funds swiftly funnelled through a network of accounts in a coordinated laundering operation.

The statement said the suspects would be arraigned before a court of competent jurisdiction, while efforts are being intensified to apprehend other members of the syndicate still at large.

A subsidiary of Stanbic IBTC Holdings and a member of Standard Bank Group, Stanbic IBTC Bank, has reaffirmed its commitment to advancing trade and economic growth in West Africa following the successful conclusion of GTR West Africa 2026, where the bank served as lead sponsor.

The two-day conference, which was held on 22 and 23 April 2026 at the Eko Convention Centre, Lagos, brought together policymakers, financial institutions, corporates and fintech players to discuss the evolving landscape of regional and global trade.

The event attracted over 400 delegates from more than 200 organisations, spanning sectors including banking, fintech, agribusiness and logistics; underscoring its position as a critical platform for shaping trade finance dialogue in the region.

The conference opened with a keynote address by Tedd George, Founder & Chief Narrative Officer, Kleos Advisory Ltd, focused on harnessing and improving macroeconomic stability to drive sustainable trade growth across West Africa. Subsequent sessions explored export diversification, supply chain finance and agribusiness-led trade, supported by practical case studies highlighting real-world applications.

Day two centred on digital trade and financial inclusion, with discussions on Africa’s mobile-first economy and contributions from the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC) Digital Standards Initiative, which emphasised the importance of accelerating the digitisation of global trade finance.

Stanbic IBTC Bank’s participation followed closely on the heels of Standard Bank Group’s engagement at the GTR Africa Conference in Cape Town, reinforcing the Group’s pan-African approach to advancing trade and financial integration across key markets.

Commenting on the bank’s role at the conference, Jesuseun Fatoyinbo, Head of Transaction Banking at Stanbic IBTC Bank, said the institution remains focused on delivering innovative solutions that respond to the shifting needs of businesses engaged in trade.

“At Stanbic IBTC Bank, we are steadfast in our commitment to driving economic growth through innovative transaction banking solutions. The trade finance landscape is evolving rapidly, and it is our responsibility to continuously adapt and strengthen our offerings to support our clients,” Fatoyinbo said.

“We understand the unique challenges faced by exporters and importers, particularly within agribusiness, and provide tailored solutions that simplify trade finance, enabling businesses to focus on growth and productivity.”

Also reflecting on the conference, Eric Fajemisin, Executive Director, Corporate and Transaction Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, highlighted the strategic importance of GTR West Africa to the region’s trade ecosystem.

“We leave this year’s GTR even more inspired as always, by the quality of engagement and the opportunities identified, and more committed than ever to enabling trade and economic development across Nigeria and the wider West African region. Trade finance is not peripheral to development; it is fundamental to it,” Fajemisin said.

Delegates from Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Bank Group contributed actively to the programme. Adedayo Adesanmi, Senior Vice-President, Structured Trade Finance, Standard Bank Group, shared insights on scaling supply chain finance and strengthening domestic value chains, while identifying cross-border growth opportunities.

In a dedicated agribusiness case study session, Seun Ogundolapo, Head of Trade Transaction Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, alongside Sreenivas Alagonda, Chief Financial Officer, Robust International Commodities, examined the practical delivery of structured commodity trade finance solutions.

The conference also welcomed senior trade finance leaders from across the Group, including Prince Baffour Agyei, Acting Head, Trade Working Capital, Stanbic Bank Ghana; Shunker Amish, Head, Transaction Banking Trade Distribution & Syndication, Standard Bank Group; and Joseph Anagblah, Head, Sales, Transaction Banking, Stanbic Bank Ghana; reinforcing the Group’s strong pan-African collaboration and continued support for the GTR platform.

As lead sponsor, Stanbic IBTC Bank hosted clients and stakeholders throughout the conference, facilitating high-level engagement, knowledge sharing and cross-sector networking. Through thought leadership panels and practical case studies, the Bank demonstrated its continuing focus on expanding access to trade finance and supporting businesses of all sizes.