Access Holdings Plc has appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), effective August 29, 2025, following approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The appointment comes a day after Access Bank CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the HoldCo board to comply with new CBN corporate governance rules limiting bank holding company boards to nine members.
Analysts say the move reflects a strategic consolidation of control under Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who returned as chairman in 2024 after the sudden death of former Group CEO Herbert Wigwe in a U.S. helicopter crash.
Since his comeback, Aig-Imoukhuede—who co-founded Access Bank and drove its rise to a Tier-1 lender—has pushed through an aggressive governance reset. The latest appointment caps a wave of leadership realignments that began with the exit of long-serving executive Dr. Seyi Kumapayi earlier this year.
Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede, who served as Acting GMD/CEO for 18 months and now reverts to her role as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory experience requirements. Agbede is credited with stabilising the group during its most turbulent period after Wigwe’s death.
Though less prominent than Aig-Imoukhuede or Wigwe, Ike brings deep institutional knowledge and is expected to advance the group’s strategic agenda of expansion, digital transformation, and governance reforms.
Analysts describe his appointment as one of continuity, preserving Access’s long-term growth vision while adapting to evolving regulatory demands.
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