Two years after the tragic helicopter crash that claimed the lives of banker and education advocate Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, his wife Chizoba Wigwe, and their son, the institutions and ideas they left behind continue to shape Nigeria’s financial and educational landscape.
Herbert Wigwe, who until his death in February 2024 was the group chief executive officer of Access Holdings Plc, was widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in Nigeria’s banking sector. Alongside his wife, Chizoba, he was also deeply invested in education and philanthropy which has remained visible even after their passing.
Access Holdings
Following Wigwe’s death, Access Holdings Plc moved swiftly to stabilise leadership and reassure investors by appointing Bolaji Olaitan Agbede acting Group CEO in February 2024. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Wigwe’s long-time business partner and co-founder of Access Bank, returned as non-executive chairman in March 2024, replacing Abubakar Jimoh. The company continued operations and emphasized that the transition was a continuation of its existing growth strategy, ensuring stability and reassuring investors.
Bolaji Agbede’s tenure as acting GCEO ended in August 2025 when Innocent Ike was appointed the substantive Group Managing Director/CEO after receiving regulatory approval. Ms. Agbede has since returned to her substantive role as the Executive Director for Business Support. Since then, the group has continued operations across its African and international markets, maintaining its position as one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions by assets. Access Bank, the group’s flagship subsidiary, has remained operational and active in its core markets, which proves the institutional depth Wigwe helped build over two decades in the banking industry.
Read also: Herbert Wigwe: One year after
Wigwe University
Perhaps the most personal of Herbert Wigwe’s projects was Wigwe University, a private institution in Isiokpo, Rivers State. The university was licensed by Nigeria’s National Universities Commission before his death and officially commenced academic activities in 2024.
Two years on, the university stands as one of the most tangible expressions of his long-term vision for African education. Designed to blend academic excellence with leadership development, Wigwe University has admitted students and rolled out programmes across several disciplines, positioning itself as a long-term investment in human capital.
The institution’s continued operations have been widely seen as a fulfilment of Wigwe’s ambition to leave a lasting educational legacy beyond banking.
Remembering Chizoba Wigwe
Chizoba Wigwe founded Craneburg Construction in 2016. But before pivoting into the construction industry, she practiced in the legal field as an advisor, specialising in corporate law, commercial litigation and arbitration. She once served on the legal board of Access Bank after obtaining a master’s degree in International law from the University of London.
As an expert in legal practice, Chizoba was innovative and business-minded. An embodiment of ideas, she made a giant leap into business when she established Craneburg Construction, a multinational civil and building construction company situated in Ikoyi, Lagos, Nigeria. In a few years, the company grew tremendously, successfully executing various large-scale projects throughout the country.
The company has spearheaded the construction of several buildings, expressways and bridges, including the Wigwe mansion, an edifice situated in Queens Drive, Ikoyi worth billions in dollars, which took almost two years to complete. It is said that the property was built as a family house and retirement home for the Wigwes and constructed with the finest of materials, 80% of which were imported.
Herbert and Chizoba Wigwe are survived by their children and extended family, who have continued to engage publicly with memorial events and legacy initiatives tied to their parents’ work.
For Nigeria’s business community, Herbert Wigwe’s influence remains visible in the continued operations of Access Holdings, and also in the broader conversation about leadership, succession and long-term institution building. Through Wigwe University and the systems he helped put in place, his vision continues to outlive him.
