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Herbert Wigwe

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Herbert Wigwe
CFR
Wigwe in 2021
Born
Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe

(1966-08-15)15 August 1966
Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria[1]
Died9 February 2024(2024-02-09) (aged 57)
Nipton, California, U.S.
CitizenshipNigerian
OccupationMD/CEO of Access Bank Plc
Partner
Chizoba Wigwe née Nwuba
​
​
(m. 1994; died 2024)​
[2]
Children4

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe CFR (15 August 1966 – 9 February 2024) was a Nigerian banker and businessman. He was the group managing director and CEO of Access Bank Plc, one of Nigeria's top five banking institutions, after succeeding his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede.

Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand and Guaranty Trust Bank before joining Access Bank in 2002 as the company's deputy managing director. He became the chief executive officer of the company in January 2014. He died in a helicopter crash on 9 February 2024 in the United States on his way to attend the Sunday's Super Bowl LVIII championship in Las Vegas.

Early life and education

Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe was born on 15 August 1966, in Ibadan Local Government Area of Oyo State,[3] Nigeria. His father was the Director General akin to the head of the Nigerian Television Authority and his mother was a nurse. Wigwe had his early education in Ibadan, then moved to the Federal Government College (FGC) Sokoto, and later to FGC, Warri, Delta state, where he finished his secondary education in 1982. In 1987, he earned a bachelor's degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.[1]

In 1990, Wigwe received the British council scholarship to study at the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University), earning a Master of Arts in banking and finance in 1991.[4] He later earned a MSc in financial economics from the University of London in 1996.[5] He attended the Harvard Business School executive management program, and in 2018 he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.[4][1]

Career

Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand as a management consultant in the late 1980s, becoming a chartered accountant in 1989.[1] He later joined Guaranty Trust Bank, where he worked for over a decade and eventually became executive director around 1998.[1][4]

Access Bank

Wigwe in his office at Access Bank headquarters in Lagos

In 2002, Wigwe and his business partner Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede bought Access Bank. Their purchase was delayed over the Central Bank of Nigeria's concerns the pair were too young to own a bank.[1] Between 2002 and 2017, the bank grew to become the 4th largest bank in Nigeria.[6] Between 2002 and 2014 he served as the company's deputy managing director.[7] Wigwe also served as the chairman of Access Bank Ghana Limited starting in 2013.[8] From January 2014 until his death, he was CEO and group managing director of Access Bank.[9]

In 2018 Access Bank merged with competitor Diamond Bank, making it the largest bank in Nigeria.[10] He had planned to expand the bank into Asia in early 2024, but died before any expansion officially launched.[10]

The Access Conference

Wigwe was involved in the creation of a leadership series known as the Access Conference.[11] The biennial event is Access Bank's response to a global call for corporate involvement in resolving the major challenges facing humanity. Since its inauguration in 2013, the Access Conference has consistently engaged global leaders by provoking debates on issues of threats and opportunities to the world. In the 2013 edition, themed "Sustainable Leadership", Wigwe spoke alongside George W. Bush, Nicolas Sarkozy and John Kufuor, reaffirming the importance of leadership to national and corporate successes.[12]

At the 2015 edition, Wigwe hosted global leaders such as Steve Wozniak, N. R. Narayana Murthy, José María Figueres, Muhammad Yunus to discuss the theme "Leading in a Transformational World – The Imperative of Innovation".[13][14]

Philanthropy

Wigwe, Access Bank and UNICEF collaborated to offer support to vulnerable children, orphans, and internally displaced persons in the northern part of Nigeria. To raise awareness for this purpose, the bank organises the annual high-profile Access Bank/UNICEF Charity Shield Polo tournament.[15]

In 2016, Wigwe founded The HOW Foundation, a non-profit organisation.[16]

In February 2017, he was named co-chair of Nigerian Business Coalition against AIDS,[17] a private sector initiative to help eradicate HIV/AIDS in Nigeria and support people living with the condition.

Wigwe University, a private university founded by Wigwe in his hometown Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, was set to open in September 2024.[18]

Personal life

Wigwe was married from 1994 to Doreen Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba), born 12 July 1967, and had four children.[4]

Death

Wigwe was among six people who died on 9 February 2024 after the Eurocopter EC130 in which they were travelling crashed near Nipton, California.[19] Also killed were his wife Doreen Chizoba Wigwe, his 29-year old son Chizi Wigwe, former Nigerian Exchange Group Plc Chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo, and two crew members. The passengers were on their way from Palm Springs International Airport to Boulder City, Nevada on a charter flight operated by Orbic Air to attend the Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas.[18][10]

The remains of Wigwe and his family were repatriated to Nigeria, where they were buried in his hometown in Isiokpo, Rivers State, on 9 March, following a week-long wake in Lagos that was attended by several prominent personalities, including billionaire and Africa's richest person Aliko Dangote, who pledged to rename the road leading to his oil refinery in his honor.[20]

Awards

Wigwe was named 2016 Banker of The Year by The Sun[21] and Vanguard,[22] two of Nigeria's largest newspapers.

In recognition of "his exemplary role in the society and contributions to youth development", the Boys' Brigade inaugurated Herbert Wigwe as State Patron for Lagos State Council in 2016.[23][24]

In October 2022, Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic, a Nigerian national honour, was conferred on him by President Muhammadu Buhari.[25]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f Adamolekun, Ronald (11 February 2024). "Herbert Wigwe, the visionary who co-built Nigeria's biggest lender". Premium Times Nigeria. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  2. ^ "7 Things to know about Herbert Wigwe". 10 February 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  3. ^ "Obituary: Herbert Wigwe Financial Expert who transformed small bank to global institution". The Cable Nigeria. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
  4. ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference Oluwole-1 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ "Officer Profile - Quotes". Reuters India. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  6. ^ "From 65th to 4th: how Access Bank climbed the ranks of Nigeria's banks – World Finance". Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  7. ^ Fakoyejo, Olalekan (10 February 2024). "Wigwe, wife, son, Abimbola Ogunbanjo in chopper crash". TheCable. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  8. ^ "Board Chairman of Access Bank Ghana appointed Group MD/CEO". Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  9. ^ Onukwue, Alexander (10 February 2024). "Herbert Wigwe, CEO of Nigeria's largest bank, killed in California helicopter crash | Semafor". www.semafor.com. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  10. ^ a b c Pelham, Lipika (11 February 2024). "Herbert Wigwe: Nigerian bank chief killed in US helicopter crash". BBC. Archived from the original on 11 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  11. ^ Adiele, Chinedu (11 December 2015). "Access Conference 2015: Steve Wozniak, Aliko Dangote, Herbert Wigwe, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, Jose-Maria Figueres others attend the second edition". Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  12. ^ alexsamade (23 April 2014). "2013 Access confab: World leaders unite, set agenda for sustainable leadership". Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  13. ^ "Steve Wozniak, Herbert Wigwe, Governor Ambode, others step out for Access Conference 2015 (PHOTOS) » YNaija". 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  14. ^ "Herbert Wigwe, Ambode, Steve Wozniak and others step out for Access Conference 2015". 11 December 2015. Archived from the original on 14 January 2016. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  15. ^ "Access Bank MD, Herbert Wigwe promises more support for UNICEF, vulnerable children". 21 July 2016. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  16. ^ "Meet Antonia Ally, the Young Founder & CEO of 'The How Foundation'". onobello.com. Archived from the original on 16 January 2021. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
  17. ^ "Wigwe, Terraz emerge NiBUCCA co-chairman". 21 February 2017. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  18. ^ a b Beam, Adam; Asadu, Chinedu (11 February 2024). "CEO of major Nigerian bank killed in California helicopter crash, director-general of WTO says". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2024.
  19. ^ Naku, Dennis; Olayiwola, Ajisafe (10 February 2024). "Updated: Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, feared dead in helicopter crash". The Punch. Archived from the original on 10 February 2024. Retrieved 10 February 2024.
  20. ^ "Herbert Wigwe burial: Nigerian bank chief buried after week-long funeral". BBC. 9 March 202. Retrieved 14 March 2024.
  21. ^ "The Sun award'll keep me going –Wigwe, Banker of the Year 2016". The Sun News. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  22. ^ "Banker of the year Wigwe: Thriving in adverse circumstances". Vanguard. 1 January 2017. Archived from the original on 1 August 2017. Retrieved 1 August 2017.
  23. ^ "Wigwe's leadership qualities earn him patron Boys' Brigade — Daily Times Nigeria". 7 December 2016. Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  24. ^ Amuche, Ngozi (7 December 2016). "Access Bank boss becomes Boy's Brigade patron". Archived from the original on 2 August 2017. Retrieved 2 August 2017.
  25. ^ "FULL LIST: 2022 National Honours Award Recipients The Nation Newspaper". 9 October 2022. Archived from the original on 21 October 2022. Retrieved 4 December 2022.
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