Access Holdings Plc has appointed veteran banker, Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
The announcement, contained in a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, comes hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the company’s board in compliance with new corporate governance rules issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
The move brings to an end an 18-month interim leadership period under Bolaji Agbede, who will return to her role as executive director, Business Support, in line with regulatory stipulations on the experience required for top executives of financial holding companies.
The appointment underscores the company’s ongoing efforts to consolidate leadership following the untimely death of Herbert Wigwe, the widely respected Group CEO whose sudden death in early 2024 left a vacuum at the helm.
According to the statement, Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said Ike’s appointment signals a new phase for the group.
He said, “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.”
Under Agbede’s leadership, the company achieved major milestones, including workforce stability, the execution of a N351bn rights issue, and the seamless hosting of two annual general meetings.
Speaking on the appointment, Ike said, he was honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings.
Mr Ike, a graduate of the University of Lagos and Best Graduating Student in Accounting in 1988, is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria.
He is also a certified IFRS expert.
With over 30 years’ experience in banking and financial services, Ike previously spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to General Manager before serving as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, where he introduced VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital platform.
