Innocent Ike confirmed as GMD/CEO of Access Holdings.

Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, after securing regulatory approval.

CBI News reports that the announcement followed the resignation of Roosevelt Ogbonna from the company’s board in line with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s 2023 corporate governance rules, which limit HoldCo boards to nine members.

Ike’s appointment signals a new era under Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, who returned to lead the group after the death of Herbert Wigwe in 2024.

Leadership changes have been unfolding in recent months, including the exit of long-serving director Seyi Kumapayi and, more recently, Ogbonna’s resignation from the HoldCo board.

Ike takes over from Bolaji Agbede, who has served as Acting GMD/CEO for the past 18 months.

She will return to her role as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory guidelines.

Agbede has been widely praised for steering Access Holdings through a challenging period, during which the group completed a N351 billion rights issue, held two AGMs, and maintained workforce stability.

Chairman Aig-Imoukhuede described her contributions as “invaluable in navigating the company through challenges and opportunities.”

With more than 30 years of experience in banking and financial services, Ike is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, as well as a certified IFRS expert.

He is a graduate of accounting from the University of Lagos and previously spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to General Manager before moving on to serve as MD/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he launched the award-winning VULTe digital banking platform.

“I am honoured to take on this role and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings,” Ike said.

“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.”

Ogbonna’s resignation from the HoldCo board has been viewed as significant, given that Access Bank, which he continues to lead as Managing Director, contributes over 90 percent of the group’s revenues and 95 percent of its assets.

Speaking to Naira Metrics, sources, however, stressed that his exit was a collective decision to comply with CBN regulations rather than a sign of internal friction.

CBI News reports that Access Holdings was created in 2022 through a Scheme of Arrangement with Access Bank shareholders and has since grown into 17 markets across Africa and beyond.