Herbert Wigwe

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe
Born	Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe (1966-08-15) 15 August 1966 Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria
Died	9 February 2024(2024-02-09) (aged 57) Near Nipton, California, United States
Occupation(s)	Entrepreneur, banker
Years active	Late 1980s–2024
Known for	Group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR (15 August 1966 – 9 February 2024) was a prominent Nigerian entrepreneur and banker who held the position of group managing director and chief executive officer at Access Bank Plc, ranked among Nigeria’s leading five financial institutions. He took over leadership from his associate, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

Wigwe’s professional journey commenced at Coopers & Lybrand and Guaranty Trust Bank before he joined Access Bank in 2002 as deputy managing director. He ascended to CEO in January 2014. His life was tragically cut short in a helicopter accident on 9 February 2024 while traveling to Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas, USA.

Early life and education

Born on 15 August 1966 in Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, Wigwe was the son of a Director General of the Nigerian Television Authority and a mother who worked as a nurse. He completed his secondary schooling at Federal Government Colleges located in Sokoto and Warri by 1982. In 1987, he graduated with a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.

In 1990, Wigwe was awarded a British Council scholarship to pursue further studies at the University College of North Wales (currently Bangor University), where he earned a Master of Arts in banking and finance in 1991. He later obtained an MSc in financial economics from the University of London in 1996. Additionally, he completed an executive management program at Harvard Business School and was honored with an honorary doctorate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2018.

Career

Starting as a management consultant at Coopers & Lybrand in the late 1980s, Wigwe qualified as a chartered accountant in 1989. He then dedicated more than ten years to Guaranty Trust Bank, advancing to the role of executive director by 1998.

Access Bank

In partnership with Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Wigwe acquired Access Bank in 2002 despite initial hesitations from the Central Bank of Nigeria regarding their relatively young age. Between 2002 and 2017, they transformed Access Bank into Nigeria’s fourth-largest banking institution. From 2002 until 2014, Wigwe held the position of deputy managing director and chaired Access Bank Ghana Limited starting in 2013. He served as CEO and group managing director from January 2014 until his passing.

The merger between Access Bank and rival Diamond Bank in 2018 elevated it to become Nigeria’s largest bank. Plans for expansion into Asian markets were underway for early 2024 but were left unrealized due to his untimely death.

The Access Conference

Wigwe played a key role in founding the Access Conference, a biennial leadership forum initiated in 2013 by Access Bank as a platform for corporate dialogue on pressing global issues. This event regularly draws international leaders to engage on significant challenges and prospects. At its debut conference themed "Sustainable Leadership," Wigwe shared discussions with notable personalities such as George W. Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy, and John Kufuor, highlighting leadership’s critical impact on both national development and corporate success.

The 2015 edition titled "Leading in a Transformational World – The Imperative of Innovation" saw Wigwe host distinguished guests including Steve Wozniak, N. R. Narayana Murthy, José María Figueres, and Muhammad Yunus. This conference further established Access Bank’s reputation as an innovative thought leader fostering sustainable progress within emerging economies.

Philanthropy

Herbert Wigwe collaborated with Access Bank and UNICEF to assist vulnerable children, orphans, and internally displaced populations in northern Nigeria. This initiative is highlighted annually through the Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament, which the bank actively supports.

In 2016, Wigwe established The HOW Foundation, a charitable organization. By February 2017, he had been appointed co-chair of the Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS, a private sector-led effort dedicated to combating HIV/AIDS and providing aid to those affected within Nigeria.

Wigwe also founded a private educational institution, Wigwe University, located in Isiokpo, Rivers State, with plans to commence operations in September 2024.

Personal life

Since 1994, Wigwe was married to Doreen Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba), and together they had five children.

Death

On 9 February 2024, Herbert Wigwe tragically lost his life in a helicopter accident near Nipton, California. The crash involved six individuals, including his wife Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, their son Chizi Wigwe, former Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, along with two crew members. The group was en route from Palm Springs International Airport to Boulder City, Nevada, aboard an Orbic Air charter flight destined for Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.

Following a week-long vigil in Lagos attended by notable personalities such as billionaire Aliko Dangote, the remains of Wigwe and his family were brought back and interred in Isiokpo, Rivers State on 9 March. In tribute, Dangote committed to renaming the road leading to his oil refinery in honor of Wigwe among other commemorations.

Awards

In 2016, The Sun and Vanguard, two of Nigeria’s leading newspapers, recognized Herbert Wigwe as Banker of the Year.

That same year, the Boys' Brigade appointed him as State Patron for the Lagos State Council in acknowledgment of his outstanding societal contributions and dedication to youth development.

In October 2022, President Muhammadu Buhari awarded him the prestigious national honor of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic.