Access Holdings Plc accelerated its sustainable finance strategy in 2025, expanding its green investment portfolio, widening access to finance for low-income households and reducing operational carbon emissions as the financial services group strengthened environmental, social and governance (ESG) initiatives at the core of its long-term growth strategy.
According to the company’s 2025 Sustainability Report filed with the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), the group increased its green asset portfolio by 27.4 per cent to N92.14 billion, reinforcing its ambition to become one of Africa’s leading financiers of climate-resilient and environmentally sustainable projects.
The latest performance marks another milestone in Access Holdings’ transition from traditional banking towards sustainable finance, with the institution increasingly directing capital to projects that support clean energy, financial inclusion and inclusive economic development.
The report showed that the group’s green assets have more than quadrupled over the past four years, rising from N22 billion in 2021 to N92.14 billion in 2025, bringing it closer to its long-term target of N475 billion.
During the year, the company deployed N72.3 billion under its Sustainable Finance Framework to environmentally beneficial projects, while its cumulative sustainability-focused loan portfolio expanded to $1.269 billion.
The banking group’s environmental strategy also translated into measurable reductions in operational emissions.
Access Holdings reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 28.47 per cent from its 2022 baseline, with total emissions declining to 49,352 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2025 from 57,176 tonnes recorded a year earlier.
The improvement was largely driven by expanded investment in renewable energy infrastructure across its operations, including the solarisation of 263 bank branches and the installation of 323 solar-powered automated teller machines, primarily through its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc.
Beyond climate finance, the group continued to expand financial inclusion across underserved segments of the economy.
The report showed that 2.53 million low-income individuals gained access to financial services through Access Holdings during the year, while 78,438 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) were onboarded onto its financing platform.
The institution also processed approximately 2.8 billion transactions during the year, reflecting continued growth in digital banking and payment services across its markets.
Support for women-owned businesses remained another key pillar of the group’s inclusion strategy.
Access Holdings disbursed 354,156 loans valued at N67.4 billion to women entrepreneurs and women-led enterprises, accounting for 24 per cent of the relevant lending portfolio.
Its broader social investment programmes reached more than 2.43 million beneficiaries through initiatives focused on education, healthcare, entrepreneurship and environmental sustainability implemented in partnership with organisations including UNICEF, HACEY Health Initiative and the Kenya Forest Service.
Internally, the company continued to strengthen workforce diversity and employee engagement.
Women accounted for 49 per cent of total employees, while female representation on the board stood at 44.4 per cent. Employee satisfaction rose to 87 per cent, surpassing the group’s internal target, while staff attrition declined compared with the previous year.
The report also highlighted strong employee participation in corporate citizenship initiatives, with staff contributing more than 359,500 volunteer hours and supporting the planting of over 50,000 trees during the year.
To finance its sustainability agenda, Access Holdings secured $185.38 million (approximately N266.83 billion) in concessional funding from development finance institutions while allocating N4.8 billion from profit before tax to sustainability initiatives.
The group has also integrated green portfolio growth targets into performance metrics for sales teams across its banking operations, reflecting a broader effort to embed sustainability into business decision-making.
Group Chief Executive Officer Innocent C. Ike said the results demonstrate the company’s ability to translate sustainability commitments into measurable commercial outcomes while strengthening long-term shareholder value.
According to him, sustainability has become central to the group’s business model, shaping capital allocation, risk management and customer engagement across its African operations.
Looking ahead, Access Holdings plans to accelerate investments in low-carbon and climate-resilient assets, improve financed emissions measurement through the adoption of internationally recognised carbon accounting standards, expand renewable energy deployment and deepen partnerships with development finance institutions.
