Without mincing words, Herbert Wigwe is well respected when it comes to finance and banking related issues. He does not need to prove to his critics right as the astronomic rise of the bank he heads is a validation of his wizardry and distinct business acumen. After taking over from his closest ally and business partner, Aigboje Aig-imoukhuede, as the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank in 2014, many doubted his competence to succeed. Unperturbed Wigwe, embedded with self belief, doggedness, sincerity of purpose, resourcefulness and brilliancy, redefined and remodeled the fortune of the bank by repositioning it as one of the strongest financial institution in Nigeria and by extension Africa.
To further show his dexterity as a boardroom guru and a skilled business negotiator, he led one of the biggest acquisitions and bank mergers in history. Under his watch, he acquired and merged Access Bank with now defunct Diamond Bank. Therefore, placing Access bank as the one of the top 5 biggest bank in Nigeria with numerous branches littered across the country, boasting of branches in Cameroon, Zambia and Kenya.
The Accounting graduate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, has remained outstanding in his dealings. At the just concluded 2020 African Banker Awards, the Philanthropist and his Bank were recognised as winner of the ‘Agriculture Deal of the Year’ and ‘African Banker of the Year’ categories. He was awarded for his unflinching support for President Buhari’s Agricultural sustainability goal, food security and increment in rice production projection. Access Bank also aided Olam Agro company develop its rice operation production capacity in Nigeria, therefore, establishing employment and investment.
During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, the cosmopolitan super dandy, galvanized the private sector to support the Federal Government of Nigeria in it’s fight against the spread of the deadly virus. He also supported the government to achieving a 25% unconditional and/or 40% conditional carbon emission reduction as agreed at the COP24 per the Sustainable Development Goals, amongst others.
