Access Holdings Plc has appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
The announcement comes just hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna, Managing Director of Access Bank, stepped down from the HoldCo board in compliance with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2023 corporate governance guidelines, which limit HoldCo boards to nine members.
In a statement on Thursday, Company Secretary Sunday Ekwochi said Ike’s appointment marks a new phase under the leadership of Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who returned to head the group after the passing of former Group CEO Herbert Wigwe in 2024.
Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede, who has served as Acting GMD/CEO for the past 18 months. Agbede will return to her role as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory requirements on years of experience for the top position.
During her tenure, Agbede was widely praised for steering the company through one of its most turbulent periods, maintaining workforce stability, completing a ₦351 billion rights issue, and successfully holding two Annual General Meetings.
Chairman Aig-Imoukhuede commended her efforts, describing them as “invaluable in navigating the company through challenges and opportunities,” while welcoming Ike to the helm.
“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,” Aig-Imoukhuede said.
Ike brings more than three decades of banking and financial services experience. An accounting graduate of the University of Lagos, he is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a certified IFRS expert.
He spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to General Manager with oversight of corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios. He later served as MD/CEO of Polaris Bank (2020–2022), where he introduced VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital banking platform.
Speaking on his 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 to deliver exceptional value to shareholders and stakeholders.”
