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BY ABU-SATAR HAMED
LAGOS, NIGERIA – The Management and Board of Access Holdings Plc (referred to as ‘the HoldCo’) have announced the appointment of Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, as its Non-Executive Chairman.
Aig-Imoukhuede steps into this role, succeeding Mr. Abubakar Jimoh, the former Chairman of the HoldCo, who transitions to the position of an Independent Non-Executive Director on the Board.
Aig-Imoukhuede, renowned for his visionary leadership and significant contributions to the banking and finance sector, brings a wealth of experience and expertise to guide the Group towards a new phase of success.
Following the unfortunate passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR, the previous Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings, and after extensive consultations with key stakeholders, the HoldCo Board unanimously selected Aig-Imoukhuede to assume the role of governance leadership.
With a distinguished career spanning several decades, Aig-Imoukhuede served as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank from 2002 to 2013, during which he, alongside his late partner and deputy, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, laid a solid foundation for the bank’s remarkable success.
During his tenure, Access Bank witnessed unprecedented growth and cemented its reputation as a trusted financial institution within the community, a testament to Aig-Imoukhuede’s exceptional leadership skills.
The appointment of Aig-Imoukhuede as Chairman marks a significant milestone for Access Holdings Plc as it looks forward to building on its legacy of success and pursuing new avenues for growth and innovation in the ever-evolving financial landscape.
Recall, under Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s leadership, Access Bank experienced remarkable growth and established itself as a trusted financial institution within the community. The Bank transformed from a minor player into one of Nigeria’s top 5 banks with presence in 9 other African countries and the United Kingdom.
Under Aig-Imoukhuede’s stewardship, Access Bank grew its customer base from ten thousand to over six million with more than 5,000 employees and an asset base of USD $12 billion, achieving numerous milestones and becoming a globally recognized name.
His strategic vision, innovative thinking, and deep market insight were instrumental to shaping the Bank’s success.
Following his retirement as the Bank’s CEO in December 2013, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede cofounded the Tengen Family Office Limited which oversees a significant portfolio of investments and businesses in banking, finance, insurance, technology, real estate, and energy.
Through the Aig-Imoukhuede Foundation, he is focused on building Nigeria’s next generation of government leaders, helping transform public sector effectiveness, and improving access to quality primary health care.
The decision to bring back Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede as the Group’s Non-Executive Chairman reflects the Board’s commitment to our core values and determination to build upon the strong foundation, he jointly established with Dr. Wigwe. With his return, Access Holdings aims to leverage his extensive experience, industry knowledge, and exceptional leadership skills to consolidate on the growth and accomplishments recorded under Dr. Wigwe’s leadership.
In his new role as Non-Executive Chairman, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede will collaborate with the Board of Directors to oversee strategy and provide guidance to the executive management team. His return is not only a testament to his unwavering dedication to Access Group but also a clear demonstration of the Board’s confidence in his ability to lead the Group to new heights.
Speaking about his return, Mr. Abubakar Jimoh past Chairman, Access Holdings expressed his excitement, stating: “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’’.
Commenting on his appointment, Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede, said: “I am thrilled to be back in active service to the Access Group ecosystem. I am confident that working with our directors, our exceptional team of executives and our best-in-class banking and finance professionals, we will deliver outstanding value to our esteemed stakeholders. I am determined that our shared vision which Dr. Wigwe gave everything for, will be realized”.
The entire Access Group family, including employees, customers, and stakeholders, eagerly anticipates Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede’s return and looks forward to a promising future under his leadership.
With his expertise, passion, and commitment, the Access Group is poised to embark on a new chapter of impact and sustainable success.
Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) operates through a network of more than 600 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 18 countries and over 60 million customers.
The Company serves its various markets through four subsidiaries across the banking, payment, pension administration and insurance sectors through four operating companies, viz: Access Bank Plc, Hydrogen Payment Services Company Limited, Access Pensions Limited and Access insurance Brokers Limited.
Access Bank Plc serves its various markets through four business segments – Retail Business, Commercial and Corporate, and has enjoyed what is Africa’s most successful banking growth trajectory in the last twenty years.
Following its merger with Diamond Bank in March 2019, Access Bank Plc became one of Africa’s largest retail banks by customer base and the Nigeria’s largest bank by total assets.
Hydrogen, the payment company, leverages the strong suite of the Bank’s existing assets and customer base, creating a super fintech that will be Africa’s most powerful business services network. Hydrogen being a company of African heritage has a clear understanding of the unique payment challenges across the continent and is positioned to address these challenges with its offerings.
Its range of products and services, such as InstantPay, Payment gateway, POS services, Card and Switch processing are gaining traction in the marketplace while addressing the unique needs of customers.
Access Pensions Limited became a subsidiary of Access Holdings following the acquisitions of the former First Guarantee Pension Limited and Sigma Pensions Limited and their subsequent merger.
The merger created the fourth largest Pension Fund Administrator in Nigeria by total assets with over 1million customers. As one of Nigeria’s leading Pension Fund Administrators (PFA), Access Pensions Limited will leverage key relationships and a growing ecosystem across Africa to unlock greater opportunities for the more that 60 million retail customers.
Access Insurance Brokers Limited is a company licensed by the National Insurance Commission which provides intelligent solutions that mitigate the unique risks faced by individuals and businesses in an ever-changing world using leading risk management tools and governance standards.
Access Holdings Plc strives to invest in businesses that are committed to sustainable practices and have a positive impact on the environment.
