Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR, born August 15, 1966, was a prominent Nigerian banker and entrepreneur. Until his passing, Herbert served as the CEO of Access Holdings Plc, formerly known as Access Corporation. He also held the position of Group Managing Director/CEO at Access Bank plc, a leading Nigerian banking institution, succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, from January 2014 until April 2022.
Profile Summary
| Full Name: | Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR |
| Date of Birth: | August 15, 1966 |
| Place of Birth: | Ikwerre |
| State of Origin: | Rivers State |
| Nationality: | Nigerian |
| Occupation: | Banker |
| Net Worth: | $10 million |
| Wife: | Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba) |
Early Life and Education
Wigwe obtained a degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, followed by an MA in Banking and Finance from the University College of North Wales (now Bangor).
Additionally, he earned an MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London and completed the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.
Career
Wigwe commenced his career as a management consultant at Coopers & Lybrand, Lagos, where he eventually became a chartered accountant.
Following a tenure at Capital Bank, he transitioned to GTBank, where he served in corporate and institutional banking, ultimately rising to the position of executive director overseeing institutional banking.
In 2002, Wigwe and his partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, acquired a stake in Access Bank, then a modest commercial bank ranked 65th among Nigeria’s 89 banks.
Under Wigwe’s leadership, Access Bank has evolved into one of Nigeria’s leading banks, featured among the top five in the country and listed among the top 500 global banks by The Banker magazine.
With over 6.5 million account-holders, the bank operates through 350 branches and 1,500 ATMs across Nigeria, Sub-Saharan Africa, and the UK.
Wigwe held various leadership positions, including Chairman of Access Bank Ghana Limited and Access Investment & Securities Limited, as well as roles in other financial institutions.
He chaired Access Bank (UK) Limited and served on the boards of the Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and the advisory Board for Friends Africa.
A Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN – FCA) and The Institute of Credit Administration, he was also an Honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.
From January 2014 until his passing, Wigwe served as CEO and Group Managing Director of Access Bank. He was a sought-after speaker, addressing audiences worldwide, including engagements in Silicon Valley and the Financial Times summit in Mozambique.
In 2016, Wigwe established The HOW Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to social impact initiatives.
Herbert Wigwe Net Worth
Herbert Wigwe was a prominent banker and CEO of Access Bank who had an estimated net worth of $10 million.
Personal Life
In January 2015, Nigerian newspaper The Punch hailed him as “one of Nigeria’s stylish top executives.”
He was married to Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba) and blessed with four children: Chizi, Tochi, Hannah, and David. Originally from Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, he resided and operated in Lagos.
Herbert Wigwe Cause of Death
Herbert Wigwe, along with five others, tragically lost their lives in a helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border in the United States of America on February 10.
The victims included his wife, his son, Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc – Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and the pilots.