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Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
Ike takes over from Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has led the company in an acting capacity for the past 18 months. Agbede, who steps down in line with regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for the role, will revert to her position as Executive Director, Business Support.
Agbede’s tenure as acting GMD was marked by stability and continuity at a critical period in the group’s history. She oversaw the seamless transition that followed the passing of former Group Chief Executive Officer Herbert Wigwe, successfully executed the company’s ₦351 billion rights issue, and steered two Annual General Meetings.
Analysts note that her leadership helped maintain momentum, while also positioning Access Holdings more competitively in Nigeria’s fast-evolving financial services landscape.
In a statement, the Chairman of Access Holdings, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, commended Agbede’s stewardship while welcoming Ike to the helm.
“We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward,” he said. “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.”
Ike, an accomplished banker, brings over three decades of experience in the financial services sector. A graduate of the University of Lagos and the institution’s best graduating accounting 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.
He previously spent a decade at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, managing portfolios across corporate, commercial, and public sectors. More recently, Ike served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he launched the award-winning digital banking platform VULTe. Under his leadership, Polaris earned industry recognition, including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year Award and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022.
Reacting to his appointment, Ike pledged to consolidate on the achievements of his predecessors.
“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,” he said. “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.”
With the appointment, Access Holdings has signaled continuity and growth in its long-term strategy of becoming the “World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group.” Industry watchers say Ike’s blend of proven leadership, deep sector knowledge, and digital innovation experience places him in a strong position to steer the group through its next phase of expansion.
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