ACCESS HOLDINGS PLC APPOINTS MR. INNOCENT IKE AS SUBSTANTIVE GROUP MANAGING DIRECTOR/CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER, RECOGNIZING THE EXCEPTIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF MS. BOLAJI AGBEDE AS ACTING GROUP CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

 

Lagos, Nigeria - August 28, 2025: Access Holdings (‘Access Holdco’ or ‘the  
Company’) today announces the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as the substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective August 29, 2025, following the receipt of regulatory approval.  

Mr. Ike will succeed Ms. 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, Ms. Agbede will revert to her substantive role as the Company’s Executive Director, Business Support.  
During Ms. 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.  
Commenting on the development, the Company’s Chairman, Mr. Aigboje AigImoukhuede, CFR 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.”  
Mr. 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 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, 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 remains committed to becoming the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group, and with Innocent Ike at the helm, the Company is wellpositioned for sustained success and growth.  

SUNDAY EKWOCHI  
COMPANY SECRETARY  
For further information, please contact:  
Amaechi Okobi  
Chief Communications Officer  
+234 8033204682  
[email protected]