Susan Abayomi
Access Holdings Plc has secured another extension from the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX) to publish its audited half-year financial statements for 2026, leaving investors awaiting a clearer picture of the group’s performance amid an outstanding regulatory approval process.
The financial services group disclosed the development in a regulatory filing dated Friday, October 2, explaining that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was yet to complete the required approval process for the publication of the accounts.
The latest extension follows the expiration of an earlier deadline of September 30, prolonging the wait for the group’s audited financial statements for the six months ended June 30, 2026. The company has not announced a new publication date.
The delay is the second postponement affecting the release of the half-year results. In August, Access Holdings notified the market that the completion of its audit and the need to obtain CBN approval could affect its reporting timetable. The NGX subsequently granted an extension to September 30.
Although the company’s board approved the audited interim consolidated and separate financial statements at its meeting on August 27, their publication remains subject to the outstanding regulatory clearance.
For shareholders and market analysts, the extended wait means a longer period without comprehensive information needed to assess the group’s financial performance, asset quality and overall business outlook for the first half of the year.
Timely financial disclosure is an important element of investor confidence, particularly for publicly listed financial institutions. While the delay does not, in itself, establish financial weakness or a breach of regulatory requirements, the absence of a confirmed release date could heighten scrutiny of the company’s reporting process.
Access Holdings has maintained that it will publish the accounts promptly once the necessary approval is obtained and will inform the market of any material developments.
The company also reiterated its commitment to fulfilling its regulatory obligations and maintaining communication with shareholders, investors and other stakeholders.
First-Quarter Performance Offers Some Insight
The outstanding half-year results are expected to provide further insight into the group’s financial performance following its strong first-quarter earnings.
Access Holdings reported profit before tax of ₦272.21 billion for the first quarter of 2026, representing a 22.19 per cent increase from ₦222.78 billion recorded in the corresponding period of 2025.
Profit after tax also rose by 18.49 per cent to ₦216.54 billion.
However, the first-quarter figures revealed developments that investors may examine more closely when the half-year accounts become available.
Net interest income declined by 26.68 per cent to ₦383.71 billion, while non-interest income increased by 19.03 per cent to ₦444.68 billion.
The group also recorded a 239.04 per cent increase in impairment charges to ₦73.81 billion, alongside a 26.16 per cent rise in operating expenses to ₦411.27 billion.
These figures underscore the importance of the forthcoming half-year results in determining whether the group’s earnings momentum has continued and how it has managed the pressures reflected in its first-quarter performance.
Transparency Remains Central to Investor Confidence
Beyond profitability, the prolonged reporting timeline places renewed emphasis on the importance of clear communication between listed companies and the investing public.
For Access Holdings, completing the approval process and publishing its audited half-year accounts will provide shareholders with the information needed to evaluate its performance during the period.
The outstanding approval should not be interpreted as evidence that the CBN has rejected the accounts or that the company has necessarily violated reporting rules. Nevertheless, investors will be watching for updates on the process and a clear indication of when the financial statements will become available.
Until the results are published, questions surrounding the group’s first-half performance will remain unanswered, making timely disclosure an important step in sustaining confidence among shareholders and other market participants.
