Nigeria: Access Holdings appoints Acting CEO

Access Holdings Plc on Monday, announced the appointment of Bolaji Agbede as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the company.

The appointment of Bolaji Agbede as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings Plc follows the tragic passing of the late Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, who, along with his wife, son, and former chairman of the Nigeria Exchange Group, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, died in a helicopter crash in the United States on Friday.

“Further to its announcement dated February 11, 2024, the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) has today announced the appointment of Ms Bolaji Agbede as the Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the unfortunate demise of its former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr Herbert Wigwe, on February 9, 2024,” the company said in a statement.

Ms. Bolaji Agbede having joined Access Bank in 2003 as an Assistant General. With nearly three decades of professional experience spanning banking and business consultancy services, her expertise will undoubtedly contribute to the continued success of Access Holdings Plc.

She had held various positions within the bank, including Head of Group Human Resources from 2010 to 2022. In 2022, she assumed the role of the company’s founding Executive Director, Business Support, a position she held until her recent appointment as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer.

She obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos, and later pursued a Master of Business Administration Degree from Cranfield University UK in 2002. Additionally, she is a member of both the Chartered Institute of Management UK and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.

The appointment is subject to the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“The appointment of Ms Agbede is in alignment with our robust succession planning practices,” said Abubakar Jimoh, chairman of the company.

“We are strongly convinced that Ms Agbede, being the company’s most senior executive, with exceptionally rich, professional and leadership experience and understanding of the Access culture, would provide the much-needed leadership to steer the company towards the attainment of its strategic vision of building a globally connected community and ecosystem, inspired by AAfricafor the world.”