Access Holdings Plc has vested more than 200 million shares in 77 employees across its group. This move saw former Executive Director, Business Support, Bolaji Agbede, emerge as the largest beneficiary with an allocation of 15.09 million shares.
The development was officially disclosed in a corporate filing dated July 8, 2026, submitted to the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) and signed by Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi. The vesting exercise itself occurred between June 29 and June 30, 2026.
The share allocation covers employees across Access Holdings and its key subsidiaries, including Access Bank Plc. This initiative recognizes their contributions to the Group’s growth and strategic objectives.
The company stated, “We write to inform Nigerian Exchange Limited and the investing public that pursuant to the terms of employment of Access Holdings Plc (the Company or the Group) and Access Bank Plc, the shares of the Company have vested on the underlisted employees of the Group.”
Beyond Agbede’s significant allocation, other top beneficiaries included Executive Director Hadiza Ambursa and Access Bank Chief Financial Officer Seyi Kumapayi, who each received 10,906,875 shares. Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Iyabo Soji-Okusanya, was allocated 10,119,941 shares.
Further allocations saw Executive Director Lanre Bamisebi receive 9,334,823 shares, while Executive Director Elizabeth Oguegbu and Access Bank Chief Risk Officer Femi Jaiyeola each received 4,651,163 shares. The programme also extended to several senior executives and management personnel, including Olumide Olatunji, Abraham Aziegbe, Sunday Ekwochi, and Amaechi Okobi.
This broad-based allocation reflects Access Holdings’ strategy to deepen employee ownership and align management incentives with long-term shareholder value creation. Equity-based compensation is an increasingly vital tool in the financial services industry, especially as banks compete for talent amidst rapid digital transformation, expanding fintech partnerships, and growing regional operations.
By granting employees a direct stake in the company’s performance, Access Holdings aims to foster greater commitment to its long-term growth ambitions. This also strengthens accountability across leadership ranks as the Group continues to expand its presence across Africa and international markets, reinforcing its position as a leading financial services institution.
This share vesting follows recent assurances by Access Holdings regarding its commitment to resuming dividend payments once regulatory conditions permit. Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede stated at the Group’s fourth Annual General Meeting in Lagos in June that the company had entered a phase focused on extracting value from years of strategic investments, rather than solely pursuing growth for expansion.
According to Aig-Imoukhuede, Access Holdings recorded a profit of N1.007 trillion and total assets of N51.56 trillion in 2025. This performance demonstrates the strength of a strategy centered on long-term resilience and sustainable value creation. The latest share vesting programme is expected to further reinforce this strategy by linking employee rewards to the Group’s long-term performance and shareholder returns.
