Access Holdings Plc has announced a major leadership transition, with Roosevelt Ogbonna stepping down from its Board as a Non-Executive Director after three and a half years of service.
The move comes in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) 2023 Corporate Governance Guidelines for Financial Holding Companies, which limit board membership to a maximum of nine directors.
Ogbonna, who remains the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc—the Group’s flagship subsidiary—was commended by the Board for his strategic insights and contributions to the holding company.
“The Board appreciates Mr. Ogbonna for his outstanding and continued contributions to the Access Group,” the company said in a statement, noting his role in shaping critical decisions at group level.
Alongside Ogbonna’s exit, Access Holdings confirmed the appointment of seasoned banker Innocent Ike as the substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede, who has led the Group in an acting capacity for the past 18 months. Agbede will return to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support, in compliance with regulatory requirements concerning the requisite years of experience for a Financial Holding Company’s CEO.
During her tenure as Acting GMD/CEO, Agbede guided the Group through a period of transition following the passing of former Group Chief Executive Herbert Wigwe.
She oversaw major achievements, including workforce stability, the successful execution of a ₦351 billion Rights Issue, and the seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings.
“Her leadership and strategic vision not only maintained the Company’s momentum but also strengthened its competitive position in the industry,” the statement read.
Chairman’s Remarks
Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, lauded both Agbede’s stewardship and Ike’s appointment:
“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Bolaji Agbede for her invaluable contributions in steering the Company through challenges and opportunities.
While regulatory requirements necessitate this change, we are grateful for the strong foundation that has been laid.”
Ike, a distinguished banker with over 30 years of experience in financial services, is a graduate of the University of Lagos where he earned a BSc in Accounting as Best Graduating Student in 1988.
He is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), as well as a Certified IFRS expert.
His career spans leadership roles across corporate, commercial, and public sector banking. He spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to General Manager, and later served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022.
At Polaris, he spearheaded the launch of VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital banking platform, which won the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year and Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year in 2021 and 2022.
Speaking on his appointment, Ike expressed both gratitude and determination: “I am honoured to assume the role of Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and to work with the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy of Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, driving our vision forward, and ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”
