Access Holdings is considering exiting at least one market outside its base in Nigeria to comply with a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) rule requiring lenders to limit investment in foreign subsidiaries to no more than one-tenth of shareholders’ funds.

The banking group mentioned one business in which it plans to offload its stake to meet the requirement, Bloomberg reported on Monday, citing Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

“If a subsidiary cannot meet its cost of capital and the strategic objectives for which it is set up, you should be ready to take a decision to exit,” Mr Aig-Imoukhuede was quoted as saying at an African Financial Industry Summit in Luanda, Angola, last week.

“Do we have one or two troublesome subsidiaries? I can think of one.”

Investment in subsidiaries for Nigeria’s biggest bank by assets stood at N446.6 billion at the end of September, equivalent to 19.3 per cent of its equity, according to Access Holdings’ 9M 2026 Investor Presentation.

That was roughly double the 10 per cent ceiling permitted by the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act (BOFIA) 2020.

Only in cases of regulatory approval for a higher threshold from the CBN are lenders allowed to exceed that limit, the Act says.

The banking industry watchdog has given Access Holdings 12 months to address the issue.

The potential exit is part of the financial institution’s move to review its international operations to comply with the directive.

In June, Access Bank’s chief executive, Roosevelt Ogbonna, said the lender would reduce its shareholding in some of its foreign subsidiaries to achieve compliance.

According to Innocent Ike, CEO of Access Holdings, the lender will explore three strategies towards that end.

The options include recalling surplus capital from overseas subsidiaries, offloading minority stakes and restructuring some businesses, he said.

He added that the group has already completed one capital repatriation exercise involving its six targeted subsidiaries, and is engaging regulators in five countries to facilitate the return of excess capital to Nigeria.

Access Holdings plans to meet the regulatory requirement ahead of the March 2027 deadline, Mr Ike stated.

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“We gave ourselves up till January next year, and I think we’re completing this ahead of schedule,” said Mr Aig-Imoukhuede.

The Access Holdings’ chairman said the group’s international portfolio remains fundamentally strong despite plans to sell interests in some international subsidiaries.

He noted that the group would continue to review the performance of its subsidiaries to ensure they generate sustainable returns and remain aligned with the strategic objectives for which they were established.

“You have to do dynamic portfolio management. Every year, you’re looking for ways to improve,” he said.

Access Bank sold its 97 per cent stake in its loss-making Ivorian subsidiary to Cameroon’s Afriland First Group SA for $1 million in January 2014, after the CBN restricted parent-bank capital for foreign subsidiaries.

ntel emerged winner of The Hunt: Searching for the Next Great MVNO, a Shark Tank-style competition held on November 4, 2026, during the November 3–5 telecoms industry event.

The competition featured aspiring and recently launched MVNO businesses, each given five minutes to present their products and business propositions to a panel of industry judges.

Representing ntel, Kingsley Uwazie, the company’s Chief Technology Officer, presented its Next Frontier relaunch, outlining its approach to connectivity, digital innovation and opportunities in the evolving global telecommunications market.

The company’s victory was announced at the MVNO Nation Awards, marking an international recognition milestone for the Nigerian telecommunications operator as it pursues a new phase of business development.

A central element of ntel’s presentation was WakaGo, its global travel eSIM offering, which reflects the company’s ambition to expand beyond conventional mobile services into digital connectivity solutions for international travellers.

An embedded SIM (eSIM) enables compatible devices to connect to mobile networks without requiring users to insert a physical SIM card. The technology is increasingly relevant to international travellers seeking mobile connectivity across different countries without relying exclusively on conventional roaming arrangements.

Through WakaGo, ntel is positioning itself to participate in the expanding market for travel connectivity services, where eSIM-enabled products offer customers access to mobile networks across international destinations.

The offering forms part of the company’s broader Next Frontier strategy, which seeks to redefine its approach to connectivity and digital services.

The recognition comes as the mobile virtual network operator market attracts growing attention from telecommunications companies and businesses seeking alternative ways to deliver mobile services.

Unlike traditional mobile network operators, MVNOs provide mobile connectivity under their own brands, typically relying on network infrastructure and wholesale capacity supplied by licensed network operators. The model allows businesses to develop differentiated services, target specific customer segments and explore digital-first approaches without necessarily owning the underlying radio access infrastructure.

Uwazie’s presentation at the European event provided ntel with an opportunity to showcase its technology direction to telecommunications executives, industry professionals and other participants in the international MVNO ecosystem.

The competition victory also gives the company’s Next Frontier proposition exposure to a wider international audience, as ntel explores opportunities in digital connectivity and emerging mobile service models.

For Nigeria’s telecommunications industry, the recognition places an indigenous operator among participants attracting attention within the international MVNO ecosystem, highlighting opportunities for Nigerian telecommunications businesses to develop services for markets extending beyond conventional domestic mobile connectivity.

ntel said its participation at MVNO Nation Europe reflects its commitment to engaging with the global telecommunications industry and exploring opportunities to strengthen its position in an increasingly competitive connectivity market.

The company is seeking to build on the international recognition as it advances its Next Frontier ambitions, with digital innovation and alternative connectivity services forming part of its business direction.