Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
The announcement, signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, was released on Wednesday, just hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the board in line with new corporate governance guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has led the group in an acting capacity for the past 18 months following the death of former Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, in 2024. Agbede will now resume her role as Executive Director, Business Support.
Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, described Ike’s appointment as the beginning of a new chapter for the group, while commending Agbede for her leadership.
“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Ike at this pivotal time. We also extend our deepest gratitude to Ms. Agbede, whose commitment and exceptional contributions over the past 18 months ensured stability and progress for the company. While regulatory changes have necessitated this transition, we remain grateful for the strong foundation she has laid,” he said.
During her tenure, Agbede steered the group through key milestones, including workforce stability, the successful execution of a ₦351bn rights issue, and the smooth conduct of two annual general meetings.
In his remarks, Ike expressed excitement about his new role.
“I am honoured to be appointed Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and look forward to working with the talented team at Access Holdings. My focus will be on building upon the legacies of Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, while driving sustainable growth and delivering exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”
Ike, who graduated as the Best Student in Accounting from the University of Lagos 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.
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With over 30 years of experience in banking and financial services, he previously worked at Access Bank for a decade, rising to the position of General Manager, before serving as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he pioneered the award-winning digital platform, VULTe.
