Access Holdings Grows Green Asset Portfolio to ₦92.14bn

According to the report filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited, it highlights the Group’s continued integration of sustainability into its business strategy, capital allocation, risk management and operations, underscoring its shift from pursuing scale to delivering measurable long term value. Access Bank Plc, the Group’s flagship banking subsidiary, accounted for a significant share of the reported outcomes.

Access Holdings’ green asset portfolio increased from ₦72.32 billion in 2024 to ₦92.14 billion in 2025, continuing an upward trend from ₦22 billion recorded in 2021. The Group said the latest figure represents further progress towards its long term target of ₦475 billion in green assets.

During the year, the company deployed ₦72.3 billion under its Sustainable Finance Framework to environmentally beneficial projects, while its cumulative sustainability focused loan portfolio rose to US$1.269 billion.

The Group also reported significant progress in reducing its environmental footprint. Operational greenhouse gas emissions declined by 28.47 per cent from its 2022 baseline, with emissions falling to 49,352 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025 from 57,176 tonnes in 2024.

The reduction was driven largely by the expansion of renewable energy infrastructure across its operations, including the solarisation of 263 branches and the installation of 323 solar powered automated teller machines, mainly across Access Bank’s Nigerian operations.

On financial inclusion, Access Holdings said it extended access to finance to 2,528,117 low income individuals during the year and onboarded 78,438 new micro, small and medium enterprises onto its financing platform. The Group processed approximately 2.8 billion transactions in 2025, reinforcing its position as one of Africa’s major financial services providers.

The report also showed continued support for women entrepreneurs through gender focused lending. Access Holdings disbursed 354,156 loans valued at ₦67.4 billion to women and women owned businesses, representing 24 per cent of the relevant loan portfolio.

Beyond banking, the Group expanded its social impact programmes, reaching 2,439,480 beneficiaries through initiatives focused on education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability. These programmes were implemented in partnership with organisations including UNICEF, HACEY Health Initiative and the Kenya Forest Service.

Employee engagement also remained strong, with staff contributing 359,500 volunteer hours during the year and achieving full participation in corporate volunteering activities. More than 50,000 trees were planted as part of the Group’s environmental restoration initiatives.

Within its workforce, women accounted for 49 per cent of employees, while female representation on the Board stood at 44.4 per cent. Employee satisfaction improved to 87 per cent, exceeding the Group’s target of 80 per cent, while staff attrition declined to about 11 per cent from roughly 13 per cent in the previous year.

To support future growth, Access Holdings mobilised US$185.38 million, equivalent to ₦266.83 billion, in concessional funding from development finance institutions during the year. It also allocated ₦4.8 billion from profit before tax to fund sustainability initiatives while incorporating green portfolio targets into the performance objectives of sales teams across its banking operations.

Commenting on the report, Group Chief Executive Officer, Innocent C. Ike, said the results demonstrate the company’s ability to translate sustainability commitments into measurable business outcomes.

“Our 2025 Sustainability Report reflects the discipline with which we are converting scale into value. We reduced operational emissions by 28.47 per cent, grew our green asset portfolio to ₦92.14 billion and extended financial access to about 2.5 million low income individuals. These outcomes show that sustainability is not separate from our business; it is central to how we create value, manage risk and support inclusive growth across Africa,” he said.

Looking ahead, the Group said it will focus on accelerating its transition towards low carbon and climate resilient assets, improving financed emissions data through adoption of the Partnership for Carbon Accounting Financials methodology, expanding renewable energy deployment, strengthening partnerships with development finance institutions and growing its green asset portfolio towards the ₦475 billion target.