Access Holdings Plc has officially appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, after securing regulatory approval.
The announcement was made in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi. It comes just hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the company’s board in compliance with new corporate governance rules introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has been serving as Acting Group CEO for the past 18 months following the death of former Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, in 2024. Agbede will now return to her position as Executive Director, Business Support.
Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said Ike’s appointment marks the beginning of a new chapter for the group.
He stated, “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. While regulatory requirements necessitate this change, we are grateful for the strong foundation that has been laid.”
During Agbede’s tenure, the company recorded key achievements, including maintaining workforce stability, executing a N351bn rights issue, and successfully hosting two annual general meetings.
Reacting to his appointment, 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.”
Ike is an accomplished professional with a strong academic and professional background. A graduate of the University of Lagos, where he emerged as the Best Graduating Student in Accounting in 1988, he is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, as well as a certified IFRS expert.
With more than 30 years of experience in banking and financial services, Ike previously worked at Access Bank for a decade, rising to the position of General Manager. He later served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, where he spearheaded the launch of VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital platform.
Discover more from LN247
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Comments are closed.