Connect with us

Personality in Focus

Access Holdings Appoints Innocent Ike As Group MD/CEO

Published

on

Access Holdings, on Thursday, announced the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as its substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer. The appointment takes effective from August 29, 2025, following receipt of regulatory approval.

Mr. Ike succeeds Ms. Bolaji Agbede, who has served as the Company’s Acting Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer in the past 18 months, and has played a vital role in driving the Company’s performance.

Due to regulatory stipulations on the required years of experience for a Financial Holding Company’s Managing Director, Ms. Agbede will revert to her substantive role as the Company’s Executive Director, Business Support.

During Ms. Agbede’s tenure, Access Holdco achieved significant milestones, including ensuring workforce stability and seamless transition following the demise of the former Group Chief Executive Officer; successful execution of the Company’s N351 Billion Rights Issue and seamless hosting of two Annual General Meetings of the Company.

Her leadership and strategic vision have not only maintained the Company’s momentum but also strengthened its competitive position in the industry.

Commenting on the development, the Company’s Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Innocent Ike as we move forward. At the same time, we want to express our deepest gratitude to Ms. Bolaji Agbede. Her outstanding contributions over the past 18 months have been invaluable, and we appreciate her dedication in navigating the Company through challenges and opportunities. While regulatory requirements necessitate this change, we are grateful for the strong foundation that has been laid.”

Mr. Ike graduated from the University of Lagos with a BSc (Hons) in Accounting in 1988, receiving recognition as the Best Graduating Student. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and a Certified IFRS expert. He has over three decades experience in banking and financial services, ten years of which were spent at Access Bank, where he rose to General Manager, overseeing portfolios in corporate, commercial, and public sectors.

He served as the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Polaris Bank from 2020 to 2022, during which he launched VULTe, the bank’s digital banking platform, earning several industry awards including the BusinessDay BAFI Digital Bank of the Year Award and the Nigerian Fintech Digital Bank of the Year Award in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Speaking on the appointment, Mr. Ike said: “I am honoured to take on the role of Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer and excited to work alongside the talented team at Access Holdings. I look forward to building on the strong legacy established by Herbert Wigwe and Bolaji Agbede, and driving our vision forward, ensuring we continue to deliver exceptional value to our shareholders and stakeholders.”

Access Holdings remains committed to becoming the World’s Most Respected African Financial Services Group, and with Innocent Ike at the helm, the Company is well-positioned for sustained success and growth.

Continue Reading
Advertisement


Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Personality in Focus

Tinubu Celebrates Ogunsan at 50, Urges More Dedication to Security

Published

on

President Bola Tinubu has sent warm greetings to the Executive Secretary/CEO of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, on the occasion of his 50th birthday on October 6, 2026.

In a statement released by the Special Adviser to the President (Information and Strategy), Bayo Onanuga, the President indicated acknowledged Dr. Ogunsan’s commitment to institution-building and promoting partnerships among government, the private sector, and other stakeholders to advance security and development.

Tinubu also commended the celebrant for his dedication to serving Lagos State and his contributions toward strengthening the security architecture, public safety, and public confidence through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

Before becoming the Executive Secretary/CEO, Dr. Ogunsan served on the Board of Trustees of the LSSTF. He has held other significant responsibilities in the security and community-safety space, including as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV), Lagos State, and Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC).

The President noted that under Dr. Ogunsan’s leadership, the Trust Fund has continued to play an important role in supporting security agencies with critical equipment, infrastructure and other resources necessary to enhance their effectiveness in protecting lives and property.

“As you mark this significant milestone, I urge you to sustain your dedication to the security and progress of Lagos State and Nigeria. I wish you many more years of good health, wisdom and fulfilment, as well as continued success in your service to humanity and our nation,” the President charged.

Continue Reading

Personality in Focus

Sanwo-Olu Hails LSSTF Boss Ogunsan @50

Published

on

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has congratulated the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Dr. Ayodele Ogunsan, on his 50th birthday.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, in a statement issued on Monday by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Gboyega Akosile, described Ogunsan, an entrepreneur and security expert, as a seasoned administrator and a dedicated, passionate public official.

The Governor praised Ogunsan for his transformational leadership and dedication, which have significantly impacted the Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF) since he assumed office as Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer in October 2025.

He said: “On behalf of my family, the government, and the people of Lagos State, I congratulate the Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund, Dr. Ayo Ogunsan, on his 50th birthday.

“Dr. Ogunsan is a seasoned administrator who has used his knowledge and experience to bring about transformation in the security sector through the Lagos State Security Trust Fund.

“I commend Dr. Ogunsan for his leadership and commitment in different capacities. He has contributed positively towards the improvement of security as Chairman of the Police Campaign Against Cultism and Other Vices (POCACOV) in Lagos State, Patron of the Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC), member of the Board of Trustees, and now Executive Secretary and Chief Executive Officer of LSSTF.

“As Dr Ayo Ogunsan celebrates his Golden Jubilee, I pray that the Almighty God continues to bestow upon him wisdom and knowledge to steer the ship of the Lagos State Security Trust Fund and render more service to humanity and our dear Lagos State.”

Continue Reading

Personality in Focus

ACAMB Celebrates 30 Years of Shaping Narratives, Building Trust

Published

on

Association of Corporate Communication and Marketing Professionals in Banks (ACAMB) has marked 30 years of shaping narratives and building trust in Nigeria’s banking industry, with regulators and industry leaders calling on communication professionals to make credibility, clarity, Innovation and ethical conduct central to the future of financial services.

The association celebrated the milestone at an anniversary gala night in Lagos on September 30, 2026, bringing together, senior officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), United Bank for Africa (UBA), Optimus Bank and industry leaders alongside communication and marketing heads, from banks across the country.

Speaking at the event, President of ACAMB, Jide Sipe, said, over three decades, the association has played and continued to play a critical role in helping banks communicate with the public, manage crises and protect institutional reputation.

“For 30 years, our members have stood between the banks and the public they serve. They explain policy, manage crises and protect reputations, often under intense pressure and in real time,” Sipe said.

“We have remained consistent, from gatekeepers to strategic drivers in actualising growth, positive brand perception, aligning business values to customer needs, customer satisfaction and loyalty”

All this have to great extent catalysed the growth trajectory of the financial sector and to that, we feel a sense of pride, worthy of celebration,

He said the association would continue to strengthen the capacity of its members as the communications profession evolves, with greater focus on artificial intelligence, data and digital media, as well as mentorship for young professionals entering the industry.

“Though the tools have changed since 1996, but the mandate remains same. We continue to earn trust, one credible message at a time, and we will guard it with the same discipline for the next 30 years and beyond,” he added.

While giving his address, Chairman of the occasion and 24th President of CIBN, Dele Alabi, described ACAMB’s 30-year journey as a testament to perseverance, professionalism and one that made far reaching impact the financial services industry should be proud of.

Alabi, who also commended Sipe’s leadership and recalled their years together at Ecobank Group, said ACAMB had helped strengthen communication, reputation and trust across the banking sector.

“Thirty years of shaping narratives and building trust reflects ACAMB’s critical role in strengthening communication, enhancing reputation and fostering trust across the financial services industry,” he said.

He urged communication professionals to embrace innovation without compromising ethics, in line with the CIBN’s IMPACT vision, which is built around inclusion, membership, professionalism and ethical conduct, accountability, competences & skills, and technology.

Representing the Deputy Governor of the CBN, Philip Ikeazor, the Acting Director, Corporate Communications and Investor Relations, Hakama Sidi Ali, said the banking industry was moving beyond stabilisation towards broader institutional transformation.

She challenged communication professionals to prioritise clarity over cleverness and to view customers as the ultimate test of the effectiveness and credibility of their communication.

“The credibility you carry into a crisis is built in quiet periods,” she said.

Delivering the keynote address, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of NIBSS, Premier Oiwoh, said the growth of digital banking had made trust even more critical, as financial services increasingly moved to mobile and digital platforms.

He noted that NIBSS had built Africa’s first mature instant payment system 15 years ago, adding that the evolution of digital banking had made trust a fundamental requirement for the continued growth of the financial system.

“Banking is all about trust. Without trust, banking cannot stand,” Oiwoh said.

Delivering a goodwill message on behalf of the Group Managing Director/CEO of UBA, Oliver Alawuba, the bank’s Group Head, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Alero Ladipo, commended ACAMB for creating a platform that brings communication professionals together across competing institutions.

“Thirty years is more than a milestone. It is evidence of relevance, resilience and the ability to evolve,” Ladipo said.

She noted that while banks compete in the market, communication professionals have a shared responsibility to strengthen confidence in the banking industry and maintain public trust in the financial system.

“Competition may separate us in the market, but there are moments when the industry must speak with a shared sense of responsibility,” she added.

Managing Director/CEO, Optimus Bank, Ademola Odeyemi, also commended ACAMB for it’s yeoman contributions over the years and shared vision, it has continued to effectively articulate on behalf of the banks, a feat that has helped the financial sector thrive collectively.

The anniversary celebration also featured networking sessions and recognition of professionals who have contributed to the growth of banking communication in Nigeria over the past three decades.

Continue Reading