The board of Access Holdings Plc on Thursday announced the appointment of Innocent Ike, a former General Manager as substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive and Chief Executive Officer from Friday, August 29, 2025.
He replaces Ms. Bolaji Agbede who reverts to her position as Executive Director, Business Support, after serving as Acting GMD for the past 18 months, following the demise of Mr. Herbert Wigwe who died in an accident on February 9, 2022.
A notice by the group on the Nigerian Exchange Limited by Sunday Ekwochi, hinted that Agbede, who helped stabilise the group after Wigwe’s demise, is being replaced not due to incompetence, but “regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for a Financial Holding Company’s Managing Director.
“During Ms. Agbede’s tenure, Access Holdco achieved significant milestones, including ensuring workforce stability and seamless transition following the demise of the former Group Chief Executive Officer; successful execution of the Company’s N351 Billion Rights Issue and seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings of the Company.
“Her leadership and strategic vision have not only maintained the Company’s momentum but also strengthened its competitive position in the industry,” the statement added.
Commenting on the development, the Company’s Chairman, Aigboje AigImoukhuede, expressed excitement 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,” he stressed.
Ike, a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert, graduated from the University of Lagos with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting in 1988, receiving recognition as the Best Graduating Student.
He has over three decades experience in banking and financial services, 10 years of which were spent at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, overseeing portfolios in corporate, commercial, and public sectors, after which he joined Polaris Bank first as Executive Director, Technology and Services, responsible for revamping its technology infrastructure and service delivery model while overseeing the South-South and South-East directorates. He was appointed Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the bank from 2020 until October 2022.
During the period he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, and successfully led the transformation of the bank into a digitally driven financial institution. Under his leadership, Polaris Bank launched its flagship digital platform, VULTe, earning multiple national accolades. His tenure also saw the seamless and successful divestment of the bank, marking a significant milestone in its corporate evolution.
Also, before joining Polaris, Ike held positions such as Executive Director at Keystone Bank Limited, where he managed the Lagos and West Directorate.
He began his banking career at GTBank Plc., occupying Investment Banking, Commercial Banking and Banking Operations roles, after training at Deloitte, where he led audit and consulting assignments for major clients across sectors.
Reacting to his appointment, Ike expressed honour at taking “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.”
