Access Holdings Plc has appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval. His appointment brings to a close the 18-month interim leadership of Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who now returns to her role as Executive Director, Business Support.
Ike, a distinguished banker with over three decades of industry experience, returns to familiar ground. He previously spent ten years at Access Bank, where he rose to the position of General Manager, overseeing corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios. His new role at the helm of Access Holdings signals both a return and a renewal, as he is now tasked with steering the group towards its long-term ambition of becoming the world’s most respected African financial services company.
A First-Class graduate of Accounting from the University of Lagos and Best Graduating Student in 1988, Ike is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), as well as a certified IFRS expert. His career has been defined by innovation and transformation, particularly during his tenure as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022. There, he pioneered VULTe, the award-winning digital banking platform that was named Digital Bank of the Year by both the BusinessDay BAFI Awards and the Nigerian Fintech Awards in 2021 and 2022.
Ike succeeds Ms. Agbede, who stepped into the role of acting Group CEO in February 2024 following the sudden passing of Access Holdings’ visionary leader, Herbert Wigwe. Agbede’s stewardship during this delicate transition is being widely hailed as instrumental in preserving stability within the group. Under her watch, the company successfully executed a ₦351 billion rights issue, held two Annual General Meetings, and maintained workforce confidence despite the uncertainty that followed Wigwe’s death.
While regulatory requirements around years of executive banking experience preclude her continuation in the role of Group CEO, the company has credited her contributions as invaluable. “Her outstanding leadership over the past 18 months has been foundational,” said Access Holdings Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR. “We are thrilled to welcome Ike as we move forward, and grateful for the strong base she has built.”
Accepting the appointment, Ike pledged to consolidate on the company’s legacy of growth and resilience. “I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer,” he said. “I look forward to building on the legacy of Herbert Wigwe and the stabilising leadership of Bolaji Agbede, while driving our vision to deliver exceptional value to shareholders and stakeholders.”
With Ike’s appointment, Access Holdings enters a new chapter—one shaped by Wigwe’s bold expansionist vision, Agbede’s stabilising influence, and the renewed drive of a leader with proven expertise in innovation and transformation.
