Access Holdings Appoints Innocent Ike as Group CEO, Bolaji Agbede Returns to Executive Role

Access Holdings Appoints Innocent Ike as Group CEO, Bolaji Agbede Returns to Executive Role

Access Holdings Plc has appointed Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.

He succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served in an acting capacity for the past 18 months and will now revert to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory requirements on experience for holding company CEOs.

During her tenure, Agbede steered the company through a crucial transition period after the passing of former Group CEO Herbert Wigwe. She was credited with maintaining workforce stability, successfully executing a ₦351 billion rights issue, and overseeing two Annual General Meetings.

Chairman of Access Holdings, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, commended her leadership, saying:

“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 in navigating the Company through challenges and opportunities.”

Mr. Ike, an accomplished banker with over three decades of experience in financial services, is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). A graduate of the University of Lagos, he was the Best Graduating Student in Accounting in 1988.

He previously served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he launched the award-winning digital banking platform, VULTe. His time at Access Bank saw him rise to the position of General Manager, with responsibilities across corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios.

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.”

Access Holdings reaffirmed its commitment to becoming the world’s most respected African financial services group, noting that Ike’s leadership positions the company for sustained growth.