Quick Summary:
Access Holdings and UBA boards approve 2025 audited results and dividend proposals, pending CBN clearance amid key monetary policy decisions.
The boards of directors of Access Holdings Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA) have approved their audited financial statements and proposed dividend payments for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2025.
The approvals, disclosed on Monday in filings with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), reflect a robust financial close for both institutions despite regulatory constraints in the banking sector.
Access Holdings Approves Dividend Proposal
In a statement signed by Sunday Ekwochi, Company Secretary of Access Holdings Plc, the group confirmed that its board met on Friday, 20 February 2026, to approve the Group’s Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements and a dividend proposal, subject to Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approval.
UBA Board Approves Final Dividend
Similarly, United Bank for Africa Plc announced that its board met on Thursday, 19 February 2026, and approved the Group’s Audited Financial Statements and a final dividend for the 2025 financial year, also pending CBN approval.
CBN Approval Still Pending
Both banks emphasized that the release of their audited results and dividend payments remain subject to CBN clearance. They assured shareholders that they would notify the investing public once the apex bank grants approval.
The development follows the CBN’s mid-2025 directive temporarily suspending dividend payments by banks with forbearance loan exposures, part of efforts to strengthen financial stability in the sector.
Economic Context and Market Outlook
The announcements come as the Central Bank’s Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets this week to decide the benchmark interest rate. Analysts say the committee faces a policy divide — whether to maintain the current 27.0% rate to manage liquidity or cut rates by 50–100 basis points following a decline in inflation to 15.1% in January 2026.
Market watchers believe that the MPC outcome, combined with the CBN’s decision on bank dividend approvals, could serve as a major catalyst for the Nigerian stock market in the coming days.