Nigeria: Access Holdings appoints new Chairman

57 year-old Nigerian Banking and Stock Exchange Marvel, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Returns As Access Holdings Chairman After 10 Years.

Pioneer Access Bank MD Aig-Imoukhuede has been invited to guide the group into a new era following Wigwe’s death.

Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, FCIB, CON (born 24 September 1966) is a Nigerian business mogul, banker, investor and philanthropist. He was the former group managing director (GMD) and chief executive officer (CEO) of Access Bank Plc.

Aigboje is also a past President of The Nigerian Stock Exchange (now Nigerian Exchange Group) where he took over from Aliko Dangote, the founding Chairman of the FMDQ OTC Exchange, Chairman of EnterpriseNGR, and co-founder of Tengen Family Office.

Aig-Imoukhuede’s  parents were in the civil service. His father, Frank Aig-Imoukhuede and mother, Historian Emily Aig-Imoukhuede(née Ihonde) had 3 other children, Erekpitan, Oluwakemi and Aigbovbioise. He hails from Sabongida-Ora, Edo State in Southern Nigeria. He lived with his family in Lagos but went to Federal Government College Kaduna, in Northern Nigeria for his secondary education. He earlier attended St. Saviours School (primary) in Lagos and at age 16, he enrolled to study law at University of Benin, Edo State, Nigeria. He graduated with a LLB degree in 1986 at age 19 and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987.  He holds a Trium MBA, awarded jointly by the London School of Economics, New York University, and HEC Paris. In year – 2000, he attended a three-month Executive Management Programme course at Harvard Business School.

In a move signalling a significant shift in leadership, Access Holdings Plc  has announced the return of Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, as its Non-Executive Chairman, replacing Mr. Abubakar Jimoh. Mr. Jimoh, the erstwhile Chairman, will continue to serve on the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Aig-Imoukhuede, a distinguished figure in Nigeria’s banking and finance sector, brings with him a wealth of expertise and leadership acumen. His return comes in the wake of the untimely passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR, the immediate past Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings. Following extensive consultations with key stakeholders, the Holdco Board unanimously decided to invite Aig- Imoukhuede to lead the organization.

During his tenure as Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank from 2002 to 2013, Mr. Imoukhuede, alongside his late partner and deputy, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR, played a pivotal role in shaping Access Bank’s trajectory. Under their stewardship, Access Bank transformed into one of Nigeria’s top 5 banks, expanded its footprint across 9 other African countries and the United Kingdom, and grew its customer base from ten thousand to over six million. The bank’s asset base surged to USD $12 billion, establishing itself as a globally recognized financial institution.

Since retiring as CEO in 2013, Aig-Imoukhuede has been actively involved in various ventures, including co-founding the Tengen Family Office Limited, which oversees a diverse portfolio of investments spanning banking, finance, insurance, technology, real estate, and energy. Additionally, through the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, he has been dedicated to nurturing Nigeria’s next generation of leaders and improving access to quality healthcare

Aig-Imoukhuede’s return to Access Holdings as Non-Executive Chairman underscores the Board’s commitment to building upon the foundation laid by him and Dr. Wigwe. In his new role, Aig-Imoukhuede will collaborate with the Board to provide strategic guidance to the executive management team, leveraging his extensive experience and industry knowledge.

Expressing his excitement about Aig-Imoukhuede’s appointment, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, past Chairman of Access Holdings, said, “Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s appointment to the Board and subsequent election as Chairman is a landmark development for Access Holdings. All our board members are excited about our future.”