Access Holding Co. of Nigeria Names Bolaji Agbede as Acting Group CEO

Following the tragic passing of Herbert Wigwe in a plane crash in the US, Access Holding Co. of Nigeria has appointed Bolaji Agbede as the acting group CEO. Agbede, a seasoned professional with nearly three decades of experience in banking and business consultancy, is renowned for her advocacy for inclusion.

With a career spanning back to 1992, when she commenced at Guarantee Trust Bank, Agbede’s leadership journey includes serving as CEO of JKG, a prominent business consultancy, in 2003. Upon joining Access Bank in 2003, she took on various roles, managing the bank’s portfolio of chemical trading companies and later assuming responsibilities as head of Group Human Resources. Her most recent role was as executive director of Business Support, a position she held for two years.

Her appointment also marks a significant milestone, as Access Holding becomes the first of Nigeria’s top 10 banks to have a female CEO, joining a cohort of 10 other Nigerian banks led by women. Access emphasized Agbede’s proven track record in fostering the successful integration of people in business mergers and driving cultural transformation.

Access Holding serves as the parent company of Access Bank, Nigeria’s largest lender by customer base. Agbede, whose appointment is pending approval by the Central Bank of Nigeria, previously held the position of the company’s most senior founding executive director, overseeing Business Support.

Operating in 21 countries across three continents and serving over 65 million customers, Access Bank has transitioned to a holding company structure in 2022, aligning with regulatory requirements set by the central bank to focus on core banking activities or establish holding companies to accommodate diverse services.

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