Access Holdings Plc has officially appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
The appointment was announced in a statement released on Wednesday and signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi. It follows the resignation of Roosevelt Ogbonna from the company’s board, in line with new corporate governance guidelines issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
Mr. Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served as acting Group CEO for the past 18 months after the passing of former CEO Herbert Wigwe in 2024. Ms. Agbede will now resume her position as Executive Director, Business Support.
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, “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, 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.