The late Herbert Wigwe, former CEO of Access Bank, has been linked to 106 properties in London, a new investigation by The Londoner has revealed.
The report, which examined 32,611 properties across the British capital owned by overseas entities, traced foreign-held properties through shell companies and offshore structures. The findings were made possible by a UK legal reform requiring overseas entities to declare their beneficial owners.
Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash in California in February 2024, was one of Africa’s most prominent banking executives, having helped transform Access Bank into one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions.
His connection to 106 London properties underscores the scale of his presence in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets.
Previously, UK company records had linked Wigwe to an address on The Bishops Avenue in north London, one of the city’s most exclusive streets.
He was listed in 2012 as a director of Carmel Gate Ltd, with a correspondence address at Flat 7, Allingham Court, 44 The Bishops Avenue. The new investigation suggests his property interests in London were far wider than previously known.
Wigwe also served as director of The Access Bank UK Ltd from 2008 until his death. Documents from Access Holdings show that he and current Access Bank CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna were the only shareholders when the holding company was incorporated in 2021, each holding 4,000,000 ordinary shares.
The Londoner notes that foreign ownership in London stretches from Oxford Street and Camden Market to luxury residential towers and landmark commercial sites, often held through companies in Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands.
The Londoner emphasised that the report documents ownership and does not allege any wrongdoing. Wigwe’s presence in the findings highlights his position as a Nigerian business leader whose influence reached global markets
0 Comments