TITLE PAGE RISK MANAGEMENT AS A STRATEGY FOR PROFIT MAXIMIZATION (A CASE STUDY ACCESS BANK PLC) WRITTEN BY Chinedu j.e. ABSTRACT The study carried out an empirical investigation into the quantitative effect of credit risk on the performance of commercial banks in Nigeria over the period of 11 years 2000\2010.Five commercial banking firms were selected on a cross sectional basis for eleven years. The traditional profit theory was employed to formulate profit, measured by return on asset[ROA], as a function of the ratio of Nonperforming loan to loan and advance [NPLILA], ratio of total loan and advance to total deposit[LA/TD] and the ratio of loan loss provision to classified loans[LLP/TD] as measures of credit risk. Panel model analysis was used to estimate the determinants of the profit function. The result showed that the effect of credit risk on bank performance measure by the return on Assets of banks is cross sectional invariant. That is, the effect is similar across banks in Nigeria, though the degree to which individual banks are affected is not captured by the method of analysis employed in the study. Banks collect deposits and lend to customers but when customer fail to meet their obligations, problem such as non performing loans arise. This study evaluates the impact of credit risk on the profitability of Nigerian banks. The findings revealed that credit risk management has a significant impact on the profitability of Nigeria banks. pls call to get the full material on 08032849308