9NEWS NIGERIA; One Year After Death Of Herbert Wigwe, Family, Friends, Still Seem To Feel Impact Of Financial Giant 

Family members, Friends, and well wishers, on Sunday celebrated the one year anniversary of late Herbert Wigwe, who was the CEO of Access Holdings, the parent company of Access Bank. 

9News Nigeria, recalls that Herbert died alongside his wife, Chizoba, son, Chizzy and a top banker, Bimbo Ogunbanjo, in a helicopter crash in California, exactly one year today on February 9 2024.

The credible news platform reported that the chartered helicopter departed Palm Springs at 8.45 pm, en route to Boulder City, Halloran Springs, California at 10.08 pm local time, as all the six people on board, including the pilot in command, a safety pilot and four passengers were killed.

According to findings, Halloran Springs is about 80 miles south of Las Vegas, where the Super Bowl between San Francisco and Kansas City was to be held, as Late Wigwe and entourage were heading to watch the Super Bowl.

His death, one year today, seems to be  a huge blow to Nigeria and indeed Africa’s banking industry, as Wigwe seemed to have had a big vision of transforming Africa’s corporate landscape, even in Europe and the United States.

Reports have it that a few months before his death, he successfully acquired Sierra Leone’s Standard Chartered Bank, as today, the bank is fully licensed and operates as Access Bank SL Limited.

On Sunday evening, Access Bank also paid tribute to the late Herbert Wigwe.

In a statement shared on X, the bank honoured their memory, reflecting on the profound impact they had on the institution and the wider community.

“Today marks one year since the world stood still for us. On this day, we lost Herbert, Doreen, and Chizi, three remarkable souls who left an indelible mark on our lives and our hearts.

“One year later, we still feel the void, but we also feel the weight of their legacy, one that challenges us to be better, do better, and strive for greatness.

“As we reflect, we carry forward the values they instilled and honour their memories by walking the path they paved for us. Forever in our hearts.”

Meanwhile, a remembrance service for the late Herbert, Chizoba, and Chizi Wigwe is currently being held at Eko Hotel, Lagos, Nigeria.

FACTS ABOUT HERBERT WIGWE

The co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings PLC, late Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, was born 15 August 1966, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State Nigeria.  

The CEO had his bachelor’s degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria (NSUKKA) in the year 1987, before receiving the British Council Scholarship to study at the University College of North Wales, where he earned a master of Arts in Banking and finance in the year 1991.

In the year 1996, he went further to earn a MSc in Financial Economics from the University of London, as he was also an alumnus of the Harvard Business School Executive Management Program.

Wigwe started his banking career at one of the oldest accounting firms in the United States, Cooper & Lybrand, before he joined Nigerian-owned bank, Guaranty Trust Bank now known as GTCO, where he spent ten years in service. 

The journey of Access Bank and Wigwe started in 2002 when his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede bought the financial institution between 2002 and 2017, where he became the CEO from January 2014 to April 2022.

Between 2002 and 2014 Wigwe served as the company’s deputy managing director, as he also served as the Chairman of Access Bank Ghana Limited in 2013, and was till his death the Chairman of Access Bank (UK) Limited. 

He also served as the board member of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company and a member of the Advisory Board for Friends Africa.

The CEO was a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, a fellow of The Institute of Credit Administration, and an Honorary member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria.

Until the time of his death on Saturday 10 February 2024, Wigwe was the CEO of Access Bank Plc, was the Group Managing Director/CEO of Access Bank plc, where he also founded Access Bank Loan Programme, a part of a financial syndicate controlled by Edwin Symonowicz Foundation.

Wigwe who was married to Chizoba Wigwe and had 4 children, was reported to have died along with five other people after their Eurocopter EC130 crashed near Nipton California in the United States.