Access Holdings nine-month pre-tax profit up 8.29%

LAGOS, Nigeria — Access Holdings Plc reported a pre-tax profit of ₦667.36 billion for the nine months ended September 30, 2026, an increase of 8.29% from ₦616.25 billion in the same period of 2025. The company released its half-year and nine-month results together on Monday, November 2, 2026. The first-half publication had been delayed pending approvals from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Profit after tax rose 5.95% to ₦474.17 billion from ₦447.55 billion. Basic earnings per share were ₦8.02, almost unchanged from ₦8.00.

Interest income rose 6.91% to ₦3.10 trillion from ₦2.90 trillion. Interest expense rose faster, by 10.09% to ₦1.81 trillion, so net interest income grew only 2.74% to ₦1.29 trillion. Interest earned on customer loans rose to ₦1.54 trillion from ₦1.38 trillion. Interest paid on customer deposits increased to ₦1.25 trillion from ₦805.62 billion, absorbing much of the gain from lending.

Fee and commission income rose 8.40% to ₦650.87 billion, and net fee income grew 12.40% to ₦534.94 billion, as related expenses fell to ₦115.93 billion from ₦124.49 billion.

The largest support to earnings came from lower impairment charges. Impairment charges fell 73.45% to ₦92.91 billion from ₦349.99 billion, a reduction of ₦257.08 billion. The group also recorded a ₦27.28 billion bargain-purchase gain.

Costs rose. Personnel expenses increased 20.51% to ₦432.12 billion, and other operating expenses rose 6.03% to ₦757.26 billion. The group also recorded a ₦138.81 billion fair-value hedge loss and a ₦19.91 billion loss on financial instruments at fair value.

Total assets rose 0.78% to ₦52.60 trillion. Cash and cash equivalents fell 27.54% to ₦6.53 trillion, and debt securities and interest-bearing borrowings fell 37.44% to ₦2.05 trillion. The debt figure excludes deposits, lease liabilities and Additional Tier 1 capital.

The third quarter was a weaker period than the same quarter last year, although it improved on the second quarter. Third-quarter pre-tax profit was ₦253.23 billion, down 14.35% from ₦295.68 billion in the third quarter of 2025, but up 78.43% from ₦141.92 billion in the second quarter of 2026. Third-quarter profit after tax was ₦207.45 billion, down 10.44% from ₦231.63 billion a year earlier. Quarterly fee and commission income fell 23.72% to ₦215.79 billion.

The quarterly figures are not stated directly in the results summary. They are derived by subtracting the first-quarter figures from the first-half figures. The second-quarter pre-tax profit, for example, comes from ₦414.13 billion for the first half less ₦272.21 billion for the first quarter.

The board did not propose an interim dividend in the first-half directors’ report.

Access Holdings shares were flat at ₦28.60 in early trading on November 2, 2026. The stock is up 39% so far this year and down 5.25% over the past month.