According to corporate disclosures filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Monday, the boards of Access Holdings Plc and United Bank for Africa Plc have approved their audited financial statements and proposed dividend payments for the fiscal year ended 31 December 2025, highlighting a strong year-end performance for both institutions.
Dividend Approvals Await Central Bank Clearance
Access Holdings Plc stated that its board met on 20 February 2026 and approved both the Group’s Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements and a proposal for dividend payment, “subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria,” according to a statement signed by company secretary Sunday Ekwochi.
Similarly, UBA’s board, at its meeting on 19 February 2026, approved the Group Audited Consolidated and Separate Financial Statements and the payment of a final dividend for 2025, also pending CBN approval. Both banks emphasised that shareholders and the investing public will be informed immediately once clearance is granted.
The approvals come against the backdrop of regulatory measures introduced in mid-2025, when the Central Bank temporarily restricted banks with forbearance loan exposures from paying dividends or investing in foreign subsidiaries, as part of broader efforts to strengthen sector stability.
Economic Context: Interest Rate Decisions Loom
The dividend approvals coincide with a critical week for Nigeria’s economy, as the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Monetary Policy Committee meets on 24–25 February 2026 to decide on the benchmark interest rate. Analysts are divided on whether the CBN will maintain the current 27.0 per cent policy rate to manage liquidity or implement a 50–100 basis point cut following January 2026’s surprise decline in inflation to 15.1 per cent.
Market observers suggest that the combination of the MPC’s decision and the pending CBN clearance for bank dividends could act as a key catalyst for the Nigerian stock market in the coming days.
Investors and stakeholders are advised to monitor developments closely, as approvals from the CBN will determine the timing of dividend payments and the potential market impact of both banks’ strong year-end financial results.