Access Holdings Plc has appointed seasoned banker Innocent Ike as its new Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer (GMD/CEO), effective 29 August 2025, following regulatory approval.
The announcement, signed by the Company Secretary Sunday Ekwochi, confirmed that Ike’s appointment aligns with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Corporate Governance Guidelines for Financial Holding Companies (2023), which caps the number of board directors at nine.
His emergence follows the resignation of Roosevelt Ogbonna from the board as Non-Executive Director after three and a half years of service. Ogbonna, however, will continue in his role as Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank Plc, the Group’s flagship subsidiary.
Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served as Acting GMD/CEO since the passing of Herbert Wigwe in 2024. Agbede now reverts to her position as Executive Director, Business Support. Under her 18-month stewardship, Access Holdings successfully executed a ₦351 billion rights issue, maintained workforce stability, and seamlessly hosted two Annual General Meetings.
Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, described Ike’s appointment as the beginning of a new chapter:
“We are delighted to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Agbede for her outstanding contributions during a critical period. While regulatory requirements necessitated this change, her leadership laid a strong foundation for the Group’s next phase.”
Who is Innocent Ike?
Ike is widely regarded as a transformational leader with more than three decades of experience in the banking and financial services industry. A former CEO of Polaris Bank (2020–2022), he successfully led the bank’s turnaround, launching its award-winning digital banking platform, VULTe, and securing multiple industry recognitions including BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year (2021, 2022).
He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and holds executive certifications from MIT Sloan School of Management, Wharton, and Harvard Business School.
Ike also has deep institutional knowledge of Access Bank, where he spent over 10 years, rising to the role of General Manager overseeing corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios.
Speaking on his appointment, Ike said:
“I am honoured to assume the role of Group CEO and look forward to working with the talented team at Access Holdings. Building on the legacy of Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, I am committed to driving our vision forward and delivering exceptional value to shareholders and stakeholders.”
Looking Ahead
Access Holdings reaffirmed its long-term ambition of becoming the “World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group.” With Ike at the helm, the company says it is positioned for sustained growth, deeper innovation, and stronger global competitiveness.
