Access Holdings Plc has confirmed the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, following regulatory approval.
Mr. Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer for the past 18 months.
Ms. Agbede will return to her position as Executive Director, Business Support, in line with regulatory provisions requiring a specific number of years of experience for the role of a Financial Holding Company’s Managing Director.
During her tenure as Acting GMD, Access Holdings executed its ₦351 billion rights issue, hosted two Annual General Meetings, and ensured operational stability following the passing of the former Group Chief Executive Officer.
The company noted that her leadership helped maintain momentum and reinforced its competitive position.
Chairman of Access Holdings, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, commended Ms. Agbede’s contributions while welcoming the new appointment.
“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,” he said.
Mr. Ike brings over three decades of experience in banking and financial services. A graduate of the University of Lagos with a BSc in Accounting, he is a Fellow of both the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) and the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), as well as a Certified IFRS expert.
He previously spent ten years at Access Bank, rising to the position of General Manager, where he managed corporate, commercial, and public sector portfolios.
From 2020 to 2022, he served as the Managing Director/CEO of Polaris Bank, where he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, which won multiple industry awards, including BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year and Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. 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.”
Access Holdings reaffirmed its ambition to become the world’s most respected African financial services group, expressing confidence that under Mr. Ike’s leadership, the institution is positioned for sustained growth and long-term success.