Innocent Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede as Access Holdings group CEO

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

Ike succeeds Bolaji Agbede, who has served as the Company’s Acting Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer for the past 18 months and has played a vital role in driving the Company’s performance.

Due to regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for a Financial Holding Company’s Managing Director, Agbede will revert to her substantive role as the Company’s Executive Director, Business Support.

During Agbede’s tenure, Access Holdco achieved significant milestones, including ensuring workforce stability and seamless transition following the demise of the former Group Chief Executive Officer; successful execution of the Company’s N351 billion Rights Issue and seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings of the Company. Her leadership and strategic vision have not only maintained the Company’s momentum but also strengthened its competitive position in the industry.

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Commenting on the development, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, chairman, Access Holdings said: “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 graduated from the University of Lagos with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting in 1988, receiving recognition as the Best Graduating Student. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert. He has over three decades experience in banking and financial services, ten years of which were spent at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, overseeing portfolios in corporate, commercial, and public sectors.

He served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, during which he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, earning several industry awards including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year Award and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Speaking on the 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.”

Iheanyi Nwachukwu

Iheanyi Nwachukwu, is a creative content writer with almost two decades journalism experience writing on banking, finance, capital markets, and tax. The multiple awards winning journalist is Assistant Editor, BusinessDay. Iheanyi holds BSc Degree in Economics from Imo State University; Master of Science (MSc) Degree in Management from University of Lagos. Iheanyi has attended several work-related trainings including (i) Advanced Writing and Reporting Skills (Pan African University, Lagos); (ii) News Agency Journalism (Indian Institute of Mass Communication {IIMC}, New Delhi, India); and (iii) Capital Markets Development and Regulations (International Law Institute {ILI} of Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA). Other trainings Iheanyi attended include: Economic/Political Risk Analysis (By Thomson Reuters Foundation); International Financial Journalism (IFJ) (By PMA Media Training, UK); Effective Business Writing Skills (By Phillips Consulting); Reporting on Corporate Governance (By International Finance Corporation (IFC) & Thomson Reuters Foundation UK); etc. In addition, he has participated in high-level economy & markets events in Dubai, South Africa, Morocco, and other African countries like Zambia, Ghana and Gambia.