Access Holdings Plc has announced the retirement of its Executive Director, Business Support, Ms. Bolaji Olaitan Agbede, effective June 30, 2026, following the expiration of her tenure.
Ms. Agbede is a former Acting Group CEO of the company.
The development was disclosed in a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, shareholders, and the investing public, signed by the Company’s Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, and dated June 25, 2026.
Retirement takes effect June 30.
According to the statement, Agbede will step down from the Board of Access Holdings at the end of her current term.
“Access Holdings Plc hereby notifies the Nigerian Exchange Limited, NGX, its esteemed shareholders, and the investing public of the retirement of Ms. Bolaji Agbede as Executive Director, Business Support, Access Holdings Plc, effective June 30, 2026, following the expiration of her term,” the company stated.
Career at Access Group
The Board noted that Agbede served the Access Group with distinction for more than two decades, contributing significantly to its growth, transformation, and institutional development through various leadership positions.
She commenced her professional career at Guaranty Trust Bank and served in various capacities, including as a Relationship Manager and Vault Custodian. She distinguished herself and swiftly rose from Executive Trainee in 1992 to Manager in 2001. Ms Agbede subsequently served as the Chief Executive Officer of JKG Limited, a business consulting outfit, in 2003.
Agbede joined Access Bank in 2003 as an Assistant General Manager, where she was responsible for managing the bank’s portfolio of chemical trading companies.
She later rose through the ranks and became Group Head of Human Resources in 2010, overseeing the institution’s human capital development strategy across the Access Group.
Her profile gained wider prominence in February 2024 when she was appointed Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings following the tragic death of former Group CEO, Dr. Herbert Wigwe.
The appointment was part of the Group’s leadership continuity plan and came amid efforts to maintain operational stability after the loss of Wigwe in a helicopter crash in the United States.
Agbede served in the acting capacity until the appointment of Mr. Innocent Ike as the substantive Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, effective August 29, 2025, after receiving regulatory approvals.
Agbede holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Statistics from the University of Lagos (1990) and subsequently obtained a Master of Business Administration degree from Cranfield University in 2002.
She is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management, UK, and the Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria.
She has attended several renowned leadership and professional development programmes, including the High-Performance Leadership Programme organised by IMD and the Strategic Talent Management Programme organised by London Business School.
Board appreciation
The Board of Access Holdings expressed appreciation for Agbede’s contributions, particularly her leadership during one of the most challenging periods in the company’s history.
According to the statement, her stewardship following Wigwe’s passing helped ensure business continuity and organizational stability.
“The Board expresses its profound appreciation for Ms. Agbede’s dedicated service and for the exemplary leadership she provided as Acting Group Chief Executive Officer of the Company following the tragic passing of the former Group Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, in February 2024.
“During a critical period in the Group’s history, she demonstrated remarkable professionalism, stability, and commitment, helping to ensure continuity of leadership and sustained business performance.”
The Board thanked Agbede for her service and wished her success in her future endeavours.
The retirement announcement comes weeks after Access Holdings reassured shareholders of its commitment to resuming dividend payments once all relevant regulatory requirements are met.
Speaking at the company’s fourth Annual General Meeting in Lagos earlier this month, Group Chairman, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, said the Group was entering a phase focused on extracting value from years of expansion and investment.
He noted that the company’s N1.007 trillion profit and N51.56 trillion balance sheet reflect a strategy centred on sustainable value creation and long-term shareholder returns.