By Seun Ibiyemi
Access Holdings Plc has vested shares valued at approximately ₦958 million to 689 employees as part of its ongoing Restricted Share Performance Plan (RSPP), a long-term incentive program aimed at rewarding sustained performance and retaining top talent across the group.
According to a corporate filing by the group on the Nigerian Exchange Limited (NGX), a total of 41,820,756 ordinary shares of Access Holdings vested on July 1, 2025, when the company’s share price stood at ₦22.90.
The vested shares were distributed among both managerial and non-managerial staff across the group.
However, a small group of 14 employees, including Bolaji Agbede, the former Acting Group Managing Director, received about 70.6 per cent of the total vested shares.
The RSPP, which forms a key part of Access Holdings’ long-term compensation and talent retention strategy, allows the company to allocate up to 20 per cent of its annual staff emoluments toward the purchase of its shares on the NGX for eligible employees.
Under the plan, shares are granted to qualified employees and typically vest over a three-year period, subject to continued employment and performance conditions. The latest batch of shares vested represents those granted on July 1, 2021.
Leading the list of beneficiaries for the 2022–2025 vesting cycle is the Deputy Managing Director, Retail South, at Access Bank, Chizoma Okoli, who received 5,502,183 shares.
Okoli previously served as Executive Director, Business Banking, from 2019 to 2022, and joined Access Bank following its merger with Diamond Bank in 2019.
Other senior executives who benefited include Hadiza Ambursa, Greg Jobome, and Seyi Kumapayi, each receiving 3,930,131 shares.
Employees serving as board members across Access Holdings’ subsidiaries also received allocations under the plan.
The vesting reflects Access Holdings’ commitment to aligning employee interests with shareholder value, promoting accountability, and fostering long-term loyalty among its workforce.