A new report has linked Herbert Wigwe, the late group chief executive officer of Access Holdings Plc, to the ownership of 106 properties in London.
The report by The Londoner, titled ‘Revealed: The billionaires who really own London’, sheds light on the hidden foreign ownership of about 32,000 properties across the city.
According to the publication, the identities of these owners were uncovered following a legal change requiring foreign companies to disclose their actual owners.
It further revealed that 2,224 of London’s most valuable and high-profile properties are registered to companies based in St Helier, Jersey — a British island widely regarded as a tax haven.
Wigwe was placed seventh on the list, with 106 properties attributed to him. Those ranked ahead include John Corless, Sarah Bard, Simon Reuben, Alexander Bard, Rit Thirakomen, and Wolfgang Peter Egger.
On February 9, 2024, Wigwe, alongside his wife and son, as well as Abimbola Ogunbanjo, died in a helicopter crash in California near the Nevada border. All six individuals on board were confirmed dead.
A final report by the US National Transportation Safety Board indicated that the crash was likely caused by the pilot’s decision to continue flying under visual flight rules despite encountering instrument meteorological conditions.
Following his death, disputes have reportedly emerged within Wigwe’s family over his estate.
In February 2025, reports indicated that Shyngle Wigwe, his father, and Christian Wigwe, his cousin, filed an appeal challenging a Lagos high court ruling concerning the late banker’s estate.