Access Bank Faces Triple Crisis: ₦1.8bn Court Judgment, Investor Panic, and Rising Customer Complaints

NIGERIA’S biggest bank by assets faced September storm of lawsuits, investor panic and rising fraud complaints.

September 2025 has ended in disaster for Access Bank Plc as the financial powerhouse faces a barrage of blows from the courtroom, the stock market and angry customers.

What should have been a triumphant year of pan-African expansion is now looking like a nightmare for the bank’s management, with critics warning that its reputation is “bleeding from three open wounds at once”.

On 26 September, the Federal High Court in Lagos sent shockwaves through the financial sector when it ordered Access Bank to pay a staggering ₦1.817 billion in damages.

The court found the bank guilty of “unlawful deductions, excessive charges, and the creation of fictitious accounts” — accusations that strike at the very heart of trust in banking.

The plaintiffs, who had battled the bank for months, celebrated outside the courtroom, hailing the verdict as a victory for ordinary Nigerians against corporate exploitation. For Access Bank, however, the judgment is a fresh wound on an already bruised reputation.

Stock Market Meltdown

Barely 24 hours after the court judgment, the bank’s troubles deepened on the trading floor.

On 27 September, analysts confirmed that Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank, had become the worst-performing bank stock of 2025 among the twelve largest banks listed on the Nigerian Exchange.

Investors are furious that billions poured into cross-border acquisitions in Africa appear not to be yielding results. Instead, they say, the bank is overstretched and underdelivering.

To worsen matters, Access Bank had still not released its Q2 2025 financial results by the end of September. Market watchers whisper that regulatory bottlenecks may be tied to questionable loan provisions or troubles with subsidiaries outside Nigeria.

The silence has fuelled fears of hidden cracks beneath the glittering empire.

Customers Cry Out

While the courts and investors deliver their punches, ordinary customers say they too are being failed.

On 12 September, Lagos-based fashion designer Oluwafunmilayo Daniel-Ojuade revealed how ₦23,567 mysteriously vanished from her Access Bank account without authorisation.

She says more than a week passed before the bank even acknowledged her complaint — and weeks later, the money still has not been refunded.

“It is not about the amount,” she told reporters. “If they can take ₦23,000 today without explanation, what stops them from taking ₦230,000 tomorrow? I feel robbed by the very bank that should protect me.”

Her case has become a rallying cry for frustrated customers who accuse the bank of negligence and broken trust.

Reputation On The Line

From the courtroom to the trading floor to the banking hall, Access Bank is under siege.

Analysts warn that this triple crisis — billion-naira damages in court, collapsing share price, and angry customers — could mark a turning point in how Nigerians view the bank that once prided itself as the continent’s fastest-growing lender.

While Access Bank has yet to issue a strong, comprehensive response, industry watchers insist time is running out.

“This is not just about Access Bank anymore,” said one analyst. “This is about trust in the Nigerian banking system. If the biggest bank can face this level of scandal, what hope is there for the smaller ones?”

The Big Question
Can Access Bank survive this storm and restore confidence — or will September 2025 be remembered as the month when Africa’s banking giant stumbled under the weight of its own ambition?