News Highlights:
- Access Bank Becomes First to Surpass New Capital Benchmark
- Access Holdings Commits to June 30, 2025 Compliance Deadline
Access Holdings Plc has reaffirmed its financial resilience and commitment to long-term value creation, as it responds to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) latest directive on regulatory forbearance.
With a compliance deadline of June 30, 2025, the financial group said it remains firmly on course to meet all stipulated requirements, while safeguarding shareholder interests and ensuring operational stability.
The assurance came through a corporate filing signed by the Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, titled “RE: Central Bank of Nigeria’s Letter on Temporary Suspension of Dividend Payment, Bonuses, and Investment in Foreign Subsidiaries.”
In the statement, Access Holdings addressed concerns stemming from the CBN’s recent letter (BSD/DIR/COM/LAB/018/008) dated June 13, 2025, which outlines temporary regulatory adjustments, including the suspension of certain financial outflows and forbearance measures on credit exposures.
In accordance with Chapter 17 of the Nigerian Exchange Rulebook 2015, which requires timely disclosure of material information to the investing public, Access Holdings provided clarity on its current standing and strategic outlook.
Notably, the group revealed that its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc, had already exceeded the N500 billion minimum capital threshold set by the CBN for commercial banks with international authorization, as of December 31, 2024.
This achievement, it said, positions Access Bank as “the first financial institution to achieve the milestone under the new regulatory framework.”
The statement further clarified that Access Bank remains fully compliant with the CBN’s single obligor limit—a cap on the amount a bank can lend to a single borrower—and that the bank “intends to maintain strict adherence to this rule moving forward.”
On the subject of regulatory forbearance, the group expressed readiness to align with CBN requirements concerning certain credit exposures within the timeline provided. “With respect to regulatory forbearance on certain credit facilities, the bank affirmed its readiness to align with CBN requirements by the stipulated deadline of June 30, 2025,” the statement read.
Despite these shifts in the regulatory landscape, Access Holdings underscored that it would “continue to maintain strong capital buffers and uphold its dividend payment obligations to shareholders,” reinforcing confidence in its capital adequacy and financial discipline.
The company also used the opportunity to thank its shareholders and stakeholders for their continued trust and support, reiterating its focus on delivering sustainable value over both the short and long term.
This proactive communication not only reflects Access Holdings’ responsiveness to regulatory changes but also showcases its positioning as a stable and forward-looking player in Nigeria’s evolving financial sector.