Access Holdings appoints banking veteran Innocent Ike as Group CEO

By Kazeem Ugbodaga

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

His appointment ends an 18-month interim leadership period under Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who will now return to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support.

The change was necessitated by Central Bank of Nigeria’s corporate governance rules, which stipulate minimum experience thresholds for the leadership of financial holding companies.

Despite the regulatory requirement, the Board of Access Holdings paid glowing tribute to Agbede’s stewardship, describing her tenure as one marked by stability, resilience, and bold execution.

Under her leadership, the Group successfully raised ₦351 billion through a Rights Issue, managed the transition after the passing of its former Group CEO, and delivered two Annual General Meetings seamlessly.

Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, praised Agbede’s contributions: “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.”

Ike, a distinguished banker with over 30 years of industry experience, brings deep expertise in corporate, commercial, and public sector banking.

A First-Class graduate of Accounting from the University of Lagos, he is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert.

He previously served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank (2020–2022), where he launched VULTe, the award-winning digital banking platform recognized as Digital Bank of the Year by BusinessDay BAFI and Nigerian Fintech Awards in 2021 and 2022.

In his first remarks as Group CEO, Ike pledged to sustain the Group’s ambitious growth trajectory: “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.”