Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, succeeding Bolaji Agbede, effective August 29, 2025.
The appointment follows regulatory approval and marks a leadership transition after 18 months under the stewardship of Bolaji Agbede, who has served in an acting capacity.
Ike, a seasoned banker with over three decades of experience in the financial services industry, succeeds Agbede, who will revert to her substantive role as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory stipulations on experience requirements for holding company chief executives.
During her tenure, Agbede guided the institution through a period of stability and growth, overseeing the execution of a ₦351 billion rights issue and the seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings, while sustaining operational momentum following the passing of former CEO, Herbert Wigwe.
In a statement, Access Holdings Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, expressed gratitude for Agbede’s leadership, describing her contributions as “invaluable” in navigating the company through a challenging period. He added that the board was “thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward.”
Ike, who graduated as the best student in Accounting from the University of Lagos in 1988, is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN). He previously held senior roles at Access Bank and served as Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank between 2020 and 2022, where he launched the award-winning digital banking platform, VULTe.
Reacting to his appointment, Ike said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. I look forward to building on the legacy of Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, driving our vision forward, and ensuring exceptional value delivery to shareholders and stakeholders.”
With Ike at the helm, Access Holdings reaffirmed its ambition of becoming the world’s most respected African financial services group.
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