How Can I Recover Old Access Bank Shares Bought in Nigeria in 2007?

Yes. Those shares can usually still be recovered, even if they were bought as far back as 2007.
In Nigeria, old shares rarely “disappear” completely. The main issue is usually:
missing records,
unclaimed dividends,
lost share certificates,
outdated phone/address/bank details,
or the shares not being linked to a modern CSCS account.
For old Access Holdings Plc shares bought during the 2007 public offer, the first thing is to trace the shareholder record through the registrar and/or CSCS.
What your relative should do step-by-step
1. Gather any old evidence available
Even small information helps:
old share certificate,
allotment letter,
dividend warrant/cheque,
broker receipt,
application form,
passport photograph used then,
old phone number/address,
bank details used at the time,
full name used in 2007.
Very important: If her surname changed after marriage, she should also prepare:
marriage certificate or affidavit,
valid ID showing current name.
2. Contact the registrar handling Access shares
The registrar for Access-related shareholder records is connected with United Securities Limited.
Access Holdings’ investor FAQ specifically mentions recovery procedures for:
old 2007 public offer shares,
missing certificates,
stale dividend warrants,
unclaimed allotments.
Official investor relations page:
Access Holdings Investor FAQs
She should ask:
whether the shares are still active,
how many units currently exist,
whether there are unclaimed dividends,
whether the shares are already in CSCS,
and what documents are required for recovery/update.
3. Check for unclaimed dividends
A lot of Nigerians who bought shares before e-dividend registration have dividends sitting unclaimed for years.
The Nigerian SEC provides a process for searching and reclaiming unclaimed dividends.
Official SEC guidance:
SEC Nigeria Unclaimed Dividend FAQ
Typical requirements:
BVN,
valid ID,
bank account,
e-dividend mandate form,
registrar verification.
4. If physical certificate exists, convert it to electronic form
If she still has a paper share certificate, it may need to be “dematerialized” into electronic records under CSCS.
This is usually done through:
a stockbroker,
the registrar,
or directly via CSCS-linked processing.
Official CSCS information:
CSCS Depository Services
5. Open or recover a CSCS account
If she never had a CSCS account before, a stockbroker can help create one.
The shares can then be linked electronically using a CHN (Clearing House Number).
That makes it easier to:
see the holdings,
receive dividends,
and sell the shares if desired.
Important thing many people miss
Those 2007 Access Bank shares may no longer appear exactly the same today because:
bonus shares may have been added over the years,
mergers/restructuring happened,
Access Bank became Access Holdings,
share reconstruction exercises occurred.
So the present quantity/value may be different from the original purchase.
If no documents exist at all
Recovery is still possible sometimes.
The registrar may trace the holding using:
full name,
address,
bank details,
old application information,
passport photograph,
signature verification,
affidavit/ID documents.
But the process becomes slower.
Practical advice
Do not rush to sell immediately.
First:
verify the actual share quantity,
check accumulated dividends,
confirm whether bonus shares were added,
know the present market value.
Some people discover their old shares became more valuable than expected after many years of dividends and bonuses.