I Will Build On Wigwe’s Legacy To Grow Access Bank – Ike

Innocent Ike has described his appointment as Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc as an honour, pledging to build on the legacies of the late Herbert Wigwe and acting CEO, Bolaji Agbede, to deliver greater value to shareholders.

Access Holdings announced Ike’s appointment on Wednesday following regulatory approval, with the role becoming effective August 29, 2025.

His emergence comes hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the company’s board in compliance with new corporate governance rules issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Agbede, who has been leading the business in an acting capacity for the last 18 months following the passing of former Group CEO Herbert Wigwe in 2024, is succeeded by Ike. Agbede will now return to her position as Executive Director, Business Support.

“We are thrilled to welcome Mr Innocent Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we want to express our deepest gratitude to Ms Bolaji Agbede. Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication in navigating the company through challenges and opportunities,” the chairman stated.

In a statement signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said the new appointment signals a fresh phase for the group.

Under Agbede’s leadership, Access Holdings achieved major milestones, including workforce stability, the execution of a ₦351bn rights issue, and the seamless hosting of two annual general meetings.

Speaking on his new role, Ike said, “I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”

A graduate of the University of Lagos and Best Graduating Student in Accounting in 1988, Ike is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria. He is also a certified IFRS expert.

With over 30 years’ experience in banking and financial services, he previously spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to General Manager before serving as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, where he introduced VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital platform.

I Will Build On Wigwe’s Legacy To Grow Access Bank – Ike is first published on The Whistler Newspaper