Access Emerges Nigeria’s Largest Employer of CFA Candidates

By Adebola Muili

Access has emerged as Nigeria’s largest employer of candidates pursuing the globally recognised Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) qualification, according to a new ranking released by CFA Society Nigeria.

The ranking, published under the CFA Society Nigeria’s Where Nigeria’s Finance Professionals Work series in a national daily, showed that Access employs 82 CFA candidates, more than twice the number recorded by the next-ranked institution.

The Group also ranked second among employers of CFA charterholders in Nigeria, underscoring its growing role in developing financial professionals and building a pipeline of future leaders within the country’s financial services sector.

The rankings, compiled using data from CFA Society Nigeria’s Salesforce Membership Database as of June 2026, highlighted the increasing importance of professional development and globally recognised qualifications in strengthening Nigeria’s financial industry.

The CFA Charter is regarded as one of the world’s most rigorous professional qualifications in investment management, with training covering ethics, financial analysis, portfolio management and professional standards.

For Access, the recognition reflects what the Group described as its sustained investment in structured learning, professional certification and leadership development across its businesses.

Access operates banking, pensions, payments, insurance brokerage and consumer lending businesses across 25 countries in Africa, Europe and Asia.

Commenting on the recognition, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, Innocent C. Ike, said the development reflected the organisation’s culture of continuous learning and professional excellence.

“We are proud that so many of our people are pursuing one of the most demanding professional qualifications in global finance, and that they are choosing to do it here, at Access,” Ike said.

He added that the ranking demonstrated the Group’s commitment to developing professionals who could contribute to building sustainable institutions.

“These rankings reflect a deliberate culture of excellence, one where rigour, integrity and continuous learning are not slogans but the way we work every day. Every candidate on that list represents our commitment to building institutions and professionals that endure,” he said.

CFA Society Nigeria, a member of the global CFA Institute network, said the ranking recognised organisations that invest in professionals committed to rigour, integrity and global best practices.

The society noted that talent development was becoming increasingly important to strengthening Nigeria’s financial sector and supporting Africa’s long-term economic ambitions.

The recognition also aligns with Access Holdings’ ambition to become the world’s most respected African financial services group, with the Group maintaining that the development of professionals who meet internationally recognised standards is as important as expanding its operational scale.

According to the Group, having the largest pipeline of CFA candidates in Nigeria goes beyond an internal achievement, as it contributes to raising professional standards within the country’s financial services ecosystem and strengthening Africa’s capacity to compete in global capital markets.

The ranking was released on August 10, 2026.