Access Holdings nine-month profit increased by 5.9 per cent to ₦474.2 billion for the period ended September 30, 2026, as the financial services group recorded improved earnings despite rising operating expenses and pressure on some income streams.
The latest unaudited financial results show that the group maintained its profitability during the first nine months of the year, compared with the ₦447.5 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. Profit before tax also increased by 8.3 per cent to ₦667.4 billion, up from ₦616.2 billion reported a year earlier.
The performance reflects the contribution of lower impairment charges, higher interest income and improved earnings from fees and commissions. However, the results also reveal some operational challenges as the group continues to manage increasing business costs and changing conditions across Nigeria’s financial services industry.
Access Holdings Nine-Month Profit Benefits from Lower Loan Impairments
One of the strongest contributors to the group’s improved financial performance was the significant reduction in impairment charges on financial assets. These charges declined by 73.5 per cent to ₦92.9 billion, compared with approximately ₦350 billion recorded during the same period in 2025.
The reduction provided some relief to the group’s earnings, as lower impairment expenses reduced the amount deducted from income to account for potential credit losses. Consequently, net interest income after impairment increased by 32.1 per cent to ₦1.2 trillion, compared with ₦908 billion in the previous year.
Meanwhile, interest income grew by 6.9 per cent to ₦3.1 trillion, while net interest income increased by 2.7 per cent to ₦1.29 trillion. These figures indicate that the group’s lending and interest-generating activities continued to contribute to its overall financial performance.
Access Holdings also recorded growth in income from its financial services operations. Net fee and commission income increased by 12.4 per cent to ₦534.9 billion, reflecting stronger contributions from transaction-related and other banking services.
Furthermore, gross earnings rose by 2.3 per cent to approximately ₦4 trillion, compared with ₦3.9 trillion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025. Although the increase was relatively moderate, it contributed to the group’s overall earnings position.
Rising Operating Expenses Create Pressure on Earnings
Despite the improvement in profitability, Access Holdings faced higher operating costs during the nine-month period. Operating expenses increased by 11.8 per cent to ₦1.30 trillion, reflecting the additional costs associated with running its financial services operations.
The group also recorded a 40.8 per cent decline in other operating income to ₦234.5 billion. As a result, total operating income fell by 3.2 per cent to ₦2.06 trillion, compared with approximately ₦2.13 trillion in the previous year.
These figures present a mixed picture of the group’s performance, as its profit increased even though some areas of operating income experienced declines. The reduction in impairment charges and growth in fee income therefore played important roles in supporting its reported profitability.
Deposits and Total Assets Record Further Growth
Beyond its earnings, Access Holdings recorded growth in its balance sheet during the reporting period, reflecting continued expansion in customer deposits, lending and overall assets.
Total assets increased by 1.7 per cent to ₦52.6 trillion as of September 30, 2026, compared with ₦51.7 trillion at the end of December 2025. Customer deposits also rose by 6.6 per cent to ₦36.85 trillion, indicating an increase in funds held across the group’s banking operations.
Similarly, loans and advances to customers increased by 7.4 per cent to ₦14.33 trillion. The growth suggests that the group continued expanding its lending activities while maintaining a larger deposit base to support its operations.
Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent Ike said the reduction in impairment charges, alongside growth in interest income after impairment and fee-based earnings, demonstrated the resilience of the group’s core earnings.
He also highlighted the importance of operational efficiency, regulatory compliance, disciplined capital allocation and improved capital productivity as the company pursues its Scale-to-Value strategy.
The latest results provide insight into Access Holdings’ financial position as Nigeria’s banking industry continues to navigate changing economic conditions, credit risks and operating costs. The group’s ability to sustain earnings growth while controlling expenses will remain important to its performance in the remaining months of 2026.
