After receiving regulatory approval, Access Holdings Plc named Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO) on August 29, 2025. This reveals that recently, the pace of leadership changes has accelerated.
In accordance with new corporate governance regulations, Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the company’s board just hours before the move. Following the death of former Group CEO Herbert Wigwe in 2024, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede returned to lead the organisation, and Ike’s appointment marks the beginning of a new era under his chairmanship.
One of the group’s longest-serving directors, Seyi Kumapayi, stepped down from the board earlier this year.
To adhere to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2023 corporate governance guidelines, which restrict HoldCo boards to nine members, Roosevelt Ogbonna, the managing director of Access Bank, also resigned from the HoldCo board more recently.
The leadership structure of Access Holdings is developing as a result of these departures and Ike’s confirmation as the company’s substantive CEO. It reflects initiatives to improve governance, conform to regulations, and set a clear direction for the post-Wigwe era.
Continuing, it is expedient to know that Bolaji Agbede, who has been Acting GMD/CEO for the last 18 months, is being replaced by Ike. In accordance with the legal requirements for years of experience for the top position, she will resume her position as Executive Director, Business Support.
However, many people have praised Agbede for leading the business through one of its most trying times. During her tenure, Access successfully held two annual general meetings, completed a N351 billion rights issue, and maintained workforce stability—all of which helped stabilise the organisation after Herbert Wigwe’s untimely death. Her contributions were commended by Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who called them “invaluable in navigating the company through challenges and opportunities.”
Futhering, Ike brings with him more than three decades of banking and financial services experience. He is an accounting graduate from the University of Lagos, a Fellow of CIBN and ICAN, and a certified IFRS specialist. After ten years, he became the General Manager of Access Bank, where he oversaw the corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios.
VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital banking platform, was introduced by him while he was MD/CEO of Polaris Bank (2020–2022).
Ike had this to say following his appointment as new CEO: “I am honoured to take on this role 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 to deliver exceptional value to shareholders and stakeholders.”
Ike’s appointment as the new CEO, comes shortly after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the HoldCo board, a decision that caused a stir in the banking industry. One of the most well-known executives in the sector and a veteran of Access Bank, Ogbonna’s exit sparked rumours of internal strife. But according to people close to him, the decision was made by the board as a whole to follow CBN regulations rather than out of animosity.
Since he is the head of Access Bank, which generates over 90% of group revenues and 95% of total assets, his absence from the HoldCo board is especially noteworthy, BrandSpur banking and finance news desk reports.
