Dividend: Market, Shareholders have punished Access Holdco …Aig-Imoukhuede

The group Chairman, of Access Holdings Plc Aigboje AigImoukhuede has expressed concerns that the market and shareholders of the financial holding company have continually expressed sentiments that had hindered growth prospects of the stock on the NGX Exchange.

It would be recalled that at the Access Holdco 2025 Annual General meeting in Lagos, one of its shareholders, Dr. Farouk Umar (President of the Association for the Advancement of the Rights of Nigerian Shareholders), complained about the paltry dividend sum of N2.50 per share for 2024 financial year, paid 2025,, compared with its peers, GTCO and Zenith that rewarded shareholders with N8.03 and N5.00 per/share dividends respectively.

The Access Holdco shareholder, Dr Farouk Umar had then, pleaded with the board at the 2025 AGM, to please ensure payment of higher or compatible dividend with its peers in 2026, for the 2025 financial year.

However, while the two other financial institutions doubled their dividends this year 2026, Access Holdco with one of the highest assets bases, was unable to pay dividend.

That could have been one of the major factors that unapologetically discouraged Dr Farouk from attending the 2026 AGM in Lagos. He was conspicuously absent, even as others that attended were full of praises for the group

Reflecting on the negative impact of shareholders sentiment on the non-payment of dividend for the 2025 financial year, the Access Holdco Group Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede on Wednesday in Lagos, describing it as result of shareholders disappointment on dividend expectations, expressed that market reactions have been heavy on the company.

Speaking to the shareholders at the 2026, 4th Annual General Meeting (AGM), Aig-Imoukhuede expressed that many stocks listed on the NGX Exchange have re-rated since four years ago due to the devaluation of the Nigerian Naira, leaving Access Holdings behind, due to market reaction on non-dividend payment.

Expressing concern, the Access Holdings group chairman said, “Many stock in Nigeria have rerated because the capital market has adjusted to the, would I say, 400% depreciation in currency that took place four years ago or there about”

He continued, “The only high-quality stock. Well, let me not say the only, one of the remaining high-quality stocks that has not benefited from this rerating, which took place really over the last nine months, is Access Holdings, and only because, or largely because of the disappointment that shareholders feel with respect to the dividend”

He gave the assurance that the prevailing trend, however provides an opportunity for many investors.

“The market reaction to the dividend issue, whilst understandable, has created an opportunity for our shareholders”