By Obinna Uballa
Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), effective August 29, 2025, following approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).
The announcement comes less than 24 hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna, the Managing Director of Access Bank, resigned from the board of the HoldCo in compliance with the apex bank’s new corporate governance guidelines, which limit the size of bank holding company boards to nine members.
The development, according to analysts, underscores a strategic consolidation of power at Access Holdings under the leadership of Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who returned as chairman in 2024 after the tragic death of former Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, in a U.S. helicopter crash.
Since his comeback, Aig-Imoukhuede, who co-founded Access Bank and played a key role in its rise to a Tier-1 lender, has reportedly spearheaded an aggressive governance reset.
The latest appointment of Ike, analysts say, signals the culmination of a sweeping leadership realignment that began earlier this year with the exit of Dr. Seyi Kumapayi, one of the group’s longest-serving executives.
Ogbonna’s resignation, though expected, further illustrates the restructuring efforts to align with regulatory reforms, particularly the CBN’s 2023 corporate governance rules, which aim to limit board influence and curb excessive concentration of power within bank holding companies, according to observers.
Ike takes over from Bolaji Agbede, who has served as Acting GMD/CEO for the past 18 months. Agbede will now revert to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support, due to regulatory requirements on minimum years of experience for substantive GMD appointments.
Agbede’s interim stewardship is widely credited with stabilising the group during its most turbulent period, following Wigwe’s sudden death and the uncertainty that ensued.
Although not a household name in the banking industry compared to Aigboje or Wigwe, Innocent Ike is an experienced banking executive with deep institutional knowledge of Access Group operations.
He is expected to drive Aig-Imoukhuede’s agenda of expansion, digital transformation, and governance restructuring as the group positions for its next growth phase.
Industry analysts say Ike’s appointment signals continuity rather than disruption, ensuring that Access retains the structural integrity and strategic vision laid down by Wigwe and sustained by Agbede.
