‘He Left An Indelible Mark’ — Access Holdings Confirms CEO Herbert Wigwe’s Death

• Herbert Wigwe was the revolutionary cofounder of Access Bank.

• He died in a helicopter crash on Friday night.

• His demise was contained in media reports on Saturday but his company has now confirmed he was a victim of the ill-fated chopper.

Eko Hot Blog reports that Access Bank Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank, the largest bank in Nigeria, has announced the demise of its Group Chief Executive Officer, Herbert Wigwe.

The company made the announcement in a brief statement on Sunday morning.

Media reports on Saturday had said Wigwe, his wife, son, a former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two others were in a doomed helicopter. There were no survivors in the crash.

The helicopter, identified by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) as a Eurocopter EC130, crashed near the border between California and Nevada, the New York Times reported on Saturday.

The FAA and the U.S. transportation safety agency are investigating the crash, the Times reported.

The crash occured about 60 miles from Las Vegas. One of the people close to the Wigwe team confirmed that he was expected to attend this weekend’s Super Bowl American football event which is taking place in Las Vegas on Sunday.

Earlier on Sunday, Access Holdings said it lacked “specific information” to confirm Wigwe’s presence in the crashed chopper, saying it was “actively collaborating” with US authorities to get updates.

“We have received numerous inquiries concerning an airplane crash in the USA,” it wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter.

“Presently, we lack specific information; however, we are actively collaborating with US authorities who will furnish updates.

“Your understanding and support are valued, and we commit to keeping you informed promptly as we receive updates on the situation.”

However, in a followup statement a few hours later, Access Holdings said it was announcing Wigwe’s passing with a heavy heart.

The company praised the deceased’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to social impact initiatives.

It stated that the bank CEO left an indelible mark on the company and the communities it serves.

“With a heavy heart, we announce the passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings,” the statement reads.

“Herbert’s visionary leadership and unwavering commitment to social impact initiatives have left an indelible mark on Access Holdings and the
communities we serve. His legacy will never be forgotten.”

Wigwe, who was 57, had led Access Bank as CEO since 2014, having taken co-ownership of the bank with his partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede in 2002.

He spearheaded an Africa expansion drive that has involved taking majority stakes in or outright acquisitions of banks in Kenya, South Africa, Angola, Botswana, Mozambique.

Access Bank’s acquisition of a competitor, Diamond Bank, in 2019 has seen it become Nigeria’s largest bank by total assets.

Wigwe told Semafor Africa in November the bank was close to finalizing a regulatory process to launch its first full banking service in Asia in the first quarter of 2024.

Beyond banking, Wigwe’s other major interest was in higher education.

His Wigwe University, located in the oil-producing Rivers state in southern Nigeria, is set to take off with its inaugural academic session later this year.

The project is estimated to cost $500 million and plans to enroll 10,000 students over the next five years.

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