Access Bank Plc has a fresh face at the top. Ifeyinwa Osime is the new Chairman of the Board, taking over from Paul Usoro, SAN. Usoro concluded his term on January 29, 2026.
Access Holdings Plc announced the change on February 2, 2026, in a statement.
Access Bank, a major part of Access Holdings, is making these leadership moves to meet regulatory expectations and ensure it’s hitting its goals.
Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, who chairs Access Holdings, had good things to say about Osime. He’s excited to see where she takes the Bank. He thinks her background and strong principles make her a perfect fit.
Aig-Imoukhuede said Osime knows Access Bank inside and out. She’s dedicated to what the Bank is trying to achieve, and he’s sure she’ll keep the Bank on the right path. The goal is to keep things profitable for those who have a stake in the company and to become the most admired bank in Africa.
He also thanked Usoro for his hard work and the big part he played in the Group’s successes. He noted that Usoro will always be a part of the Access family.
Osime’s appointment as Chairman is part of Access Bank’s plan to bring in new leaders.
Access Holdings has seen a lot of leadership changes recently. It all started with a new Group CEO in 2025.
Innocent Ike stepped into the role of GMD/CEO of Access Holdings on August 29, 2025, after getting the green light from regulators. He took over after Roosevelt Ogbonna left the board because of new rules about how companies are run. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede came back as Group Chairman in 2024 after the former Group CEO, Herbert Wigwe, passed away.
These recent moves show that Access Holdings is serious about having a strong leadership team across all its businesses.
Osime brings a lot to the table with her years of experience in law, how companies are run, and leading boards.
She became a member of the Access Bank Board in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Before becoming Chairman, she was in charge of the Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee. She has also been on the boards of Coronation Insurance Plc, Coronation Life Insurance Ltd, and Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank). Her work in law and with companies includes time at McPherson Legal Practitioners, NSIA Insurance, and Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation.
Osime’s promotion comes as Access Bank works to strengthen how it’s run as it grows in Africa and around the world.
