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

The announcement was contained in a statement on Wednesday signed by the company secretary, Sunday Ekwochi. It came just hours after Roosevelt Ogbonna resigned from the board in compliance with new corporate governance rules issued by the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Ike takes over from Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has led the company in acting capacity for the past 18 months after the death of former Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, in 2024. Agbede will now return to her role as Executive Director, Business Support.

Access Holdings Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said Ike’s appointment signals a new phase for the group. He stated, “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, 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.”

Under Agbede’s leadership, the company achieved major milestones, including workforce stability, the execution of a ₦351 billion rights issue, and the seamless hosting of two annual general meetings.

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, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”

Ike, a graduate of the University of Lagos and Best Graduating Student in Accounting in 1988, 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.

With over three decades of experience in banking and financial services, he previously spent a decade at Access Bank, rising to the position of General Manager. He also served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he introduced VULTe, the bank’s award-winning digital platform.