Access Holdings Reports Record N743 Billion Net Profit Driven by FX Gains and Strategic Acquisitions

Access Holdings posts a record N743 billion net profit for 2025, driven by strong Nigerian and UK operations and a doubling of FX gains.

By: AXL Media

Published: May 1, 2026, 7:40 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Premium Times

Record-Breaking Performance Amidst Industry Volatility

Nigeria’s largest banking institution, Access Holdings, has announced a historic net profit of N743 billion for the fiscal year ended 2025. This performance distinguishes the group as a notable outlier among the country’s tier-1 lenders, many of which experienced profit declines due to rising operating costs and stagnant interest income. The group’s gross earnings climbed 13.3% to N5.5 trillion, supported by a significant surge in fair value and foreign exchange gains. This financial milestone reflects the group's aggressive expansion strategy and its ability to capitalize on market fluctuations.

Regional Contributors and Operational Challenges

The group’s bottom line was heavily anchored by its core markets, with Access Bank Nigeria and Access Bank UK jointly accounting for 89.2% of the total net profit. However, the report also highlighted the high cost of operations in certain African markets. Specifically, the group’s subsidiaries in South Africa and Kenya posted net losses of N21.7 billion and N12.2 billion, respectively. These losses underscore the challenges of sky-high operating expenses in those regions, even as the group continues to scale its presence across three continents and more than 20 countries.

Strategic Acquisitions Fuel Continental Growth

The year under review saw Access Holdings execute several high-profile acquisitions to solidify its pan-African footprint. Key transactions included the purchase of a 74.9% stake in Standard Chartered Bank’s Gambian subsidiary for N9.5 billion and the acquisition of its consumer and private banking unit in Tanzania for N14 billion. Most significantly, the group acquired a majority stake in Mauritius-based AfrAsia Bank Limited through its UK subsidiary for N611.1 billion. These moves contributed to the 13.3% rise in gross earnings and expanded the group's reach into payments, consumer finance, and insurance brokerage.