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  • How Wigwe, wife, son, Ogunbanjo died

    How Wigwe, wife, son, Ogunbanjo died

    Sketchy details of how the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, and son died in a helicopter crash were provided yesterday by the United States National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

    NTSB is an agency charged by the US Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident and significant accidents, said the helicopter caught fire immediately it crashed amid “rain and a wintry mix”.in the middle of a desert near Nipton,   San Bernardino County in California on Friday.

    Wigwe, his wife, Doreen Chizoba, son, Chizi; Abimbola Ogunbanjo, a former chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group;  and two crew members were aboard the ill-fated    Eurocopter EC 130  chopper. the flight operated by Orbic Air LLC.

    An  NTSB board member, who gave the details, Michael Graham,  alongside the investigator in charge of the incident, Aaron Sours, said it would take a year or two for the final report on the crash to be ready.

    “As far as we know, from what was reported from witnesses there was fire when the aircraft did contact the terrain,” Graham said at a news conference in Barstow, California.

    He explained that a representative of the NTSB’s Transportation Disaster Assistance division at the scene was currently working with the family members of the deceased.

     Graham added:    “We currently have a meteorologist working on our team and we were working to analyse and get the exact weather conditions at that time. Of course, that’s out in the middle of the desert so we’ll have to find the closest reporting stations nearby to be able to give an accurate report

    “Our team methodically and systematically reviews all evidence and considers all potential factors to determine the probable cause. 

    “The helicopter was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder. This helicopter was not required to be equipped with those types of recording devices.” 

    Graham said their investigators will be examining airworthiness to include maintenance and structures of the helicopter, operations, meteorology and air traffic control.

    Read Also: JUST IN: Uzodimma expresses shock over Wigwe, Ogunbanjo’s deaths

    He listed parties to the ongoing investigation to include the FAA and Orbic Air LLC, adding that as the investigation continues, other parties could be named.

    The official disclosed that the French aviation accident investigation agency will serve as an accredited representative of the investigation because France is a state of the manufacturer of the Airbus helicopter and the Turbomeca engine.

    “Both Airbus helicopters and Turbomeca engines will serve as technical advisors to the investigation,” he noted.

    Graham revealed that planned activities for the investigation would include travelling to the accident site to conduct the initial on-the-scene documentation, including aerial mapping of the wreckage with a drone and site measurements.

    The Eurocopter EC 130,  manufactured by Airbus Helicopters SAS (formerly Eurocopter), is a    single-engine aircraft said to have a long history of accidents.

    On December 1, a Eurocopter EC 130B4, belonging to the Mexican Federal Electricity Commission, struck power cables during take-off and crashed, killing three people on board.

    A February 2018 crash involving another Eurocopter EC 130B4  killed five people, all of them Britons, in the Grand Canyon.

  • Wigwe and our bank of tears

    Wigwe and our bank of tears

    Those who picked Las Vegas for the Super Bowl thought they were deciding a sports fiesta for Americans, but they were crafting a date for a tragedy for a family and mourning of Nigerians. Herbert Wigwe, who I met only once – ironically at a sports event – at the Lagos Marathon years ago, was only expecting euphoria in the city of gambles. But fate had a cruel plot. The man with wife and son died in an echo of another familiar American tragedy when basketball genius and court impresario Kobe Brant crashed with

    Read Also: JUST IN: Uzodimma expresses shock over Wigwe, Ogunbanjo’s deaths

    his own daughter. Death should stop this twist. Maybe if they chose New Orleans or some other place, the chopper may not meet headwinds and feisty rains, and his visit to America’s greatest day of sports would be a non-event. It is the non-event we seek, of family hugs and laughs and dinner. That is a good boring. Not the grim reaper’s excitement of a crash and a headline.

  • Details of how helicopter crash claimed Herbert Wigwe, wife, son, others emerge

    Details of how helicopter crash claimed Herbert Wigwe, wife, son, others emerge

    The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has provided details on the tragic helicopter crash that led to the death of the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, his wife, son, and other crew members onboard.

    The NTSB is an agency charged by the US Congress to investigate every civil aviation accident and significant accidents in the other modes of transportation across the United States of America.

    The details were provided by a board member with the NTSB, Michael Graham, alongside the investigator in charge of the incident, Aaron Sours, at a press briefing in Barstow, California.

    Graham confirmed that the two crew members and four passengers on board the aircraft were fatally injured and that there was a report of a fire outbreak when the helicopter crashed.

    He said: “As far as we know, from what was reported from witnesses that there was fire when the aircraft did contact the terrain

    He explained that they have a representative from the NTSB’s Transportation Disaster Assistance division at the scene and that she is currently working with the family members of those who lost their lives.

    He said: “We currently have a meteorologist working on our team and we were working to analyse and get the exact weather conditions at that time. Of course, that’s out in the middle of the desert so we’ll have to find the closest reporting stations nearby to be able to give an accurate report

    Speaking further, Graham said they are working at the incident scene to gather evidence.

    “Our team methodically and systematically reviews all evidence and considers all potential factors to determine the probable cause,” he said.

    Graham said a full NTSB investigative report and investigation will last 12 to 24 months before a final report is published.

    He explained that additional details about the accident included the crew which consisted of a pilot in command and a safety pilot. The NTSB said the accident flight was operated by Orbic Air LLC as a part 135 Charter flight.

    Read Also: Access Bank CEO Wigwe, wife, son die in helicopter crash

    The investigators said witness reports of the weather conditions at the time of the accident suggest rain and a wintry mix.

    “The helicopter was not equipped with a cockpit voice recorder or a flight data recorder. This helicopter was not required to be equipped with those types of recording devices,” he said.

    Graham said their investigators will be examining airworthiness to include maintenance and structures of the helicopter, operations, meteorology and air traffic control.

    He listed parties to the ongoing investigation to include the FAA and Orbic Air LLC, adding that as the investigation continues, other parties could be named.

    The official disclosed that the French aviation accident investigation agency will serve as an accredited representative of the investigation because France is a state of the manufacturer of the Airbus helicopter and the Turbomeca engine.

    “Both Airbus helicopters and Turbomeca engines will serve as technical advisors to the investigation,” he noted.

    He said the planned activities for the investigation will include travelling to the accident site to conduct the initial on-the-scene documentation, including aerial mapping of the wreckage with a drone and site measurements.

  • Akpabio mourns Access Bank CEO, Wigwe

    Akpabio mourns Access Bank CEO, Wigwe

    Senate president, Godswill Akpabio, on Sunday, February 11, mourned the sudden demise of the Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of Access Holdings, Mr Herbert Wigwe, his wife, Doreen and son Chizi in a helicopter crash in California, USA.

    Akpabio in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Hon. Eseme Eyiboh, described the death of Wigwe as a big loss not only to the Nigerian banking and finance industry where he held sway, but also to the country as a whole.

    Akpabio said: “I received with shock the news of the passing of Mr Wigwe and some of his family members in a helicopter crash in the USA. Mr Wigwe’s contribution to the growth of Nigerian banking industry and indeed the economy of the country were exemplary and commendable.

    “In his chosen career, he exhibited a high level of professionalism and unmatched leadership which marked him out as a true patriot. He was a man of integrity who never believed in cutting corners to achieve success in business.

    Read Also: Access Bank CEO Wigwe, wife, son die in helicopter crash

    “His vision in establishing a world class university, Wigwe University, to cater for the educational development of the country will be cherished as a memento for his love for Nigeria.

    “On behalf of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I offer our condolences to the Wigwe family, the Board and Management of Access Bank, the Governor of Rivers State, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Federal Republic of Nigeria for losing such a great son, iconic entrepreneur a serial investor at such a time that our country needs his services the most.

    “We pray for the repose of the souls of the deceased while we urge Nigerians to uphold the values of integrity, commitment, and professionalism that he embodied throughout his remarkable career.”

  • Mbah mourns Wigwe, says Nigeria lost a corporate titan

    Mbah mourns Wigwe, says Nigeria lost a corporate titan

    Chinaka duruiheoma

    Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State has joined Nigerians and global leaders in mourning the loss of Herbert Wigwe, co-founder and Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, along with his wife Chizoba, their son, and former Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, who died in an air crash in the United States on Friday.

    Mbah, who described Wigwe as a corporate titan, mourned the deaths as a monumental tragedy not only to Nigeria but also to the entire corporate world.

    In a statement he signed on Sunday, the governor said: “This news comes with deep shock and rubs in, once again, the vanity of life.

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests drug supplier to insurgents in Borno

    “Wigwe was a brother, a team player, philanthropist, visionary, and thoroughbred professional, who distinguished himself in the banking industry and corporate world, rising through the ranks to become a pioneer and titan of our time as well as an entrepreneur of global repute and reach.

    “This incident is, therefore, an unspeakable disaster and monumental tragedy, not only to Nigeria but also to the entire corporate world.

    “My heart goes out to his immediate family, relatives, the Access Holdings Plc family, corporate Nigeria, and indeed the nation over these grave losses. May God grant their souls eternal repose.”

  • BREAKING: Access Bank confirms death of Herbert Wigwe, wife, son in helicopter

    BREAKING: Access Bank confirms death of Herbert Wigwe, wife, son in helicopter

    Access Bank has confirmed the death of the bank’s chief executive officer, Herbert Wigwe.

    Wigwe died in a helicopter crash on Friday with his wife, son, and a former Group Chairman of the Nigerian Exchange Group Plc, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.

    In a terse statement on its official social media pages, the bank said: “Today, we bid farewell to a visionary leader, Herbert Wigwe, whose passion and unwavering commitment to excellence transformed Access into a global powerhouse.

    “His legacy of excellence and compassion will continue to inspire us all.

    “Rest in peace, Herbert Wigwe. Your impact will forever be felt.”

    Read Also: NDLEA arrests drug supplier to insurgents in Borno

    Also, the bank in a statement on Sunday signed by the Company’s Group Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, confirmed the unfortunate incident.

    “It is with deep sadness that the Board of Directors of Access Holdings Plc (‘the Company’) announces the passing of Dr. Herbert Wigwe, CFR, the Company’s founding Group Chief Executive Officer and former Group Managing Director of its flagship subsidiary Access Bank Plc (‘the Bank’).

    “Dr. Wigwe died alongside his wife and son on Friday, February 9, 2024, in a helicopter accident in the United States of America.”

  • Access Bank CEO Wigwe, wife, son die in helicopter crash

    Access Bank CEO Wigwe, wife, son die in helicopter crash

    • NGX Group chair Abimbola Ogunbanjo among victims
    • Shock, grief, tributes trail demise of late bank chief
    • His life, times and business exploits

    Two prominent members of the Nigerian business community, Herbert Onyewumba Wigwe and Abimbola Ogunbanjo, yesterday died in a helicopter crash in the United States, throwing the community into mourning.

    Also killed in the crash were Wigwe’s wife, Chizoba, their son and the two crew members.

    Wigwe was until yesterday the Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings and the brains behind Wigwe University, Isiokpo, Rivers State.

    Ogunbanjo was Group Chairman, Nigerian Exchange Group (NGX Group) Plc and the scion of the late corporate lawyer and philanthropist, Chief Christopher Oladipo Ogunbanjo.

    Their helicopter, a Eurocopter EC 130, went down near Baker, a town of 700 people about 153 kilometres (95 miles) southwest of Las Vegas, according to multiple reports from the US.

    The helicopter had taken off from Palm Springs Airport around 8:45 pm and was en route Boulder City, Nevada when it crashed at about 10 pm, the San Bernardino Sheriff’s Department said.

    “We were made aware of a downed aircraft at approximately 10:12 pm on February 10, 2024. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road,” the sheriff’s department said.

    There was no survivor.

    The cause of the crash is yet unknown.

    The National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration said they were investigating the accident.

    The crash occurred less than a week after a U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crashed in the mountains outside San Diego on Tuesday during historic downpours. Five Marines were killed.

    Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar described Wigwe’s death as unfortunate.

    Atiku, in a tribute on his X handle @atiku last night, said: “In the words of one of Nigeria’s finest CEOs, Herbert Wigwe, ‘Today and always, let us remember that life is a precious gift – a chance to breathe, feel, love, experience and connect. Let’s honour this gift by living with purpose, kindness, and gratitude, making every moment count. Let us number our days.’

    “I’m deeply saddened to hear about the unfortunate incident that led to the loss of Herbert Wigwe, Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, and his family.

    “Indeed, Herbert Wigwe, consummate banker, education promoter, and philanthropist, numbered his days.

    “On behalf of my family, my heart goes out to their loved ones and everyone affected by this unfortunate incident. May their souls rest in peace. –AA”

    Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki said he was devastated by the news of Wigwe’s death.

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu to flag off N750 million ‘trader money’ for 15,000 beneficiaries on February 14

    He said: “The tragic incident is painful and heart-rending, and we pray for God’s abiding comfort in this profoundly difficult time.

    “Wigwe was a colossus in Nigeria’s financial sector, leading Access Bank to become an international brand that placed Nigeria on the global map of first class financial services.

    “I commiserate with the Wigwe family, the Ogunbanjo family, Access Bank Holding, the Nigeria Stock Exchange, friends and associates and pray that God will grant all the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.”

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani said of Wigwe: “Nigeria has lost one of its most innovative and creative entrepreneurs.

    “He not only led Access Bank to become a global brand, he developed Access Corporation into a veritable vehicle for addressing developmental challenges.

    “He established Wigwe University to equip Nigerian youths with the skills of competing in a complex and fast changing world.

    “Herbert Wigwe’s worthy legacies will surely endure. May Herbert Wigwe’s soul rest in perfect peace.”

    In his own tribute, Aviation and Arospace Development Minister Festus Keyamo (SAN) said: “He was in my office earlier this week (where we took the pictures below) and actually left my office to fly out of the country and never came back.

    “I am also shocked to learn his wife, son and other friends were involved in this tragedy.

    “We were on the verge of announcing something big for the aviation sector; the reason he actually came to the office with his entire team, both from Access and Wigwe University.

    “This is surreal and I am lost for words. May Almighty God comfort his aged parents and sibling (who were also my neighbours in Lagos for many years as a very young lawyer in Anthony Village), his immediate family members, his staff, friends across Nigeria and dependents.”

  • The man Herbert Wigwe and his business exploits

    The man Herbert Wigwe and his business exploits

    On January 17, the Group CEO, Access Holdings, Herbert Wigwe was one of the several dignitaries that eulogised Abdul Imoyo, the company’s Group Head Corporate Communications, who died last December.

    At Imoyo’s Service of Songs held in Lagos, Wigwe spoke glowingly of his ex staff’s commitment to duty and expertise in crisis management.

    Three weeks after, Wigwe was also gone. On Friday night, a chopper transporting him crashed and killed him, his wife, son and three others in the USA.

    While the business world mourns Wigwe’s sudden demise, his courageous business deals remain a reference point for generations.

    Aided by strong public sector penetration, Access Bank, founded from the scratch by Aigboje Aig-Imouhuede and Herbert Wigwe in 2002, began operation after securing banking licence from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). It operated initially as a one-branch small bank at Burma Road, Apapa, Lagos.

    Access Bank Plc surprised pessimists that gave it little or no chance for survival when it started operation over two decades ago. An industry leader with group total assets of N20.9 trillion as at June 2023, Access Bank’s success story has proved pundits wrong.

    The bank under Wigwe had, from the outset, prioritised raising capital, mergers and acquisitions-based growth. These blueprints were synchronised into the steps it took in the later years and defined the banking giant it turned out to be.

    Today, Access Bank is a full service commercial bank operating through a network of more than 600 branches and service outlets, spanning three continents, 12 countries and 36 million customers. This makes it the largest bank in Nigeria and Africa’s leading bank by customer base.

    Speaking during the listing of Access Bank as a Holding Company at the Nigerian Exchange (NGX) on April 28, 2022, Wigwe recalled the bank’s success story and support that kept it going.

    Access Bank’s future started looking bright in 2012 after it acquired Intercontinental Bank Plc, one of Nigeria’s largest banks by customer base in that era. When the dust generated by that acquisition settled, it returned with another trophy – the takeover of Diamond Bank Plc, a grassroots lender with formidable spread across the country, which was completed in March 2019.

    The bank sustained its passion for acquisitions. In 2021, it bought 78.15 per cent stake in the African Banking Corporation of Botswana Limited (BancABC Botswana). 

    It further invested $60 million to acquire a stake in South Africa’s Grobank; purchased Cavmont Bank from the Zambian arm of Namibian financial services group Capricorn, for a nominal fee of 1 kwacha ($0.0014) and opened a unit in Mozambique.

    With 14 subsidiaries in Africa, Europe and Asia, Access Bank   grew from an obscure lender to one of the five largest banks in Nigeria in terms of assets, loans, deposits, branch network and profitability.

    Aside these acquisitions, Access Bank under Wigwe gained reputation as an aggressive lender with strong loan recovery drive. Its foothold in public sector, especially Lagos State where it funds major infrastructural projects as well as grassroots presence sets it miles ahead of the competition.

    In April 2022, Access Bank adopted a Holding Company (HoldCo) structure and named Wigwe the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc. This transformed the bank from core banking into full financial service holding company from May 1, and trading as Access Corporation.

    Wigwe said: “Our focus is to become an aggregator in Africa as we build a global payment gateway, provide trade finance support and correspondent banking across Africa’s key markets.

    “We are diversifying our earnings away from volatile markets and orchestrating operations from the global payments gateway, he explained during third quarter 2021 results announcements in Lagos.”

    Access Corporation wants to deepen its African presence and continue to expand its customer base as the core aims of its latest five-year strategic plan.

    Presenting the plan in Lagos Wigwe said: “We are setting out a new and ambitious five-year strategy which will put Access Bank at the forefront of Africa’s changing financial landscape by creating a universal payments gateway to dominate international trade and inter-African payments.

    “The new strategy will be digitally led, will focus on retail banking growth and consolidation in wholesale markets, be customer-focused and analytics-driven with robust risk management; strong global collaboration in key gateway markets and the creation of a universal payments gateway.”

    Read Also: Sanwo-Olu to flag off N750 million ‘trader money’ for 15,000 beneficiaries on February 14

     “In the next phase of its transformation programme,” according to the presentation, “Access Bank will embark on series of bold initiatives.

    “At home, the goal is to be the number one bank in Nigeria by growing the retail customer base, the Small and Medium-scale Enterprises client base, and by dominating the top 100 Nigerian corporates.”

    The bank’s other subsidiaries include Access Bank (Gambia) Limited, Access Bank (Sierra Leone) Limited, Access Bank (UK) Limited, Access Bank (Ghana) Limited, Access Bank (D.R. Congo), Access Bank (Rwanda) Limited, Access Bank (Guinea) Limited, and Access Bank (Mozambique) Limited.

    Wigwe was born on August 15, 1966 in Isiokpo, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

    He had a degree in Accountancy from the University of Nigeria and further education in Banking and Finance, Financial Economics, and an executive programme from Harvard Business School.

    His career began at Coopers & Lybrand, Lagos before he joined Guaranty Trust Bank from where he later teamed up with Aig-Imoukhuede to invest in Access Bank.

    Aside banking, Wigwe was also passionate about education and philanthropy. His passion for philanthropy led him to establish the Herbert Wigwe Foundation, fostering education and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

    The establishment of Wigwe University with a $500 million investment earned him a spot in Nigeria’s educational sector.

    With a focus on management, science, engineering, and the arts, Wigwe University was set to provide world-class education, blending traditional methods with innovative technology.

    The university, situated in Isiokpo, Port Harcourt, was approved by the National Universities Commission in June 2023. Its curriculum was designed to address critical sectors such as finance and technology, while also nurturing leadership and entrepreneurial skills.

    Wigwe University promised not just academic excellence but a holistic approach to education. Sports, arts, and practical experience were integral parts of its curriculum, ensuring that students receive a well-rounded education.

  • Wigwe seeks courage in tackling challenges in education

    Wigwe seeks courage in tackling challenges in education

    • Launches roadshow

    The Chancellor of Wigwe University, Dr. Herbert Wigwe, has emphasised the university’s resolve to tackle challenges within the education system in the country.

    He said the challenges in the sector require courage and fearlessness to tackle.

    Wigwe, who spoke during the Wigwe University Education Fair, said the university hopes to achieve this by servicing the needs of those seeking world-class education on home soil.

    He added that leveraging state-of-the-art technology, innovation and leapfrogging the university will propel itself to the forefront of global education, offering an alternative that rivals international standards.

    He emphasised the need for courage and fearlessness in addressing Nigeria’s academic challenges as opposed to running away from them while addressing the prevalent brain drain.

    Read Also: Resetting Nigeria’s tertiary education through Wigwe University

    The chancellor applauded the  education  sector for training brilliant and strong minds, citing himself as a beneficiary.

    He added that Nigeria’s universities have over time declined due to inadequate attention paid to key aspects of their growth.

    The Vice Chancellor, Prof. Miles Davies, announced that the university will open its doors to  national and international students who are eligible and comply with the regulations of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board.

    Davies said this was a testament to the university’s commitment to inclusivity and global collaboration.

    He added that following the Federal Government’s approval of the Transnational Education Guidelines, the university would pursue any international collaboration that would benefit its students and staff members and adapt to the country’s needs and contexts.

    In a keynote address, Dr. Obari Gomba, the 2023 winner of the Nigeria Prize for Literature, emphasised the importance of a combination of brilliant minds and moral conduct as catalysts for social change.

  • Wigwe: AI, analytics aids banks, competitiveness

    Leveraging technology, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and utilising data analytics, is imperative if banks and financial technology (fintechs) are to remain competitive, the Group Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Access Bank, Mr Herbert O. Wigwe, said at the weekend.

    Speaking on The future of Intelligent Bank at AFF Disrupt 2019 held at Landmark Event Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos, he said, the world is witnessing the Fourth Industrial Revolution which uses the Internet of Things (IoT) and Cloud Technology to automate processes.

    This, he said, has enabled financial service providers to increase their digital offerings for customers so they can conduct banking transactions on mobile phones, the internet, and at the automated teller machine (ATM).

    The only waiting time today is how fast the internet connection is, Wigwe said, adding that 5G is already around the corner.

    He said: “With the prolific opportunities digital banking brings, banks are now competing on the nature of innovation that can provide solutions, handle and predict customer behaviour in an incredible fast manner. Even though banking has come this far, the future holds a lot more than what the past has ever held. Today, becoming an Intelligent bank is not an option, it’s a necessity; technology is redefining the way banks operate.

    “AI, Big Data, Cloud Computing, Virtual Reality, Cryptocurrency all bring enormous opportunities for banks to significantly improve the way customers access and manage finances.

    “Thanks to automation technology, banks and fintech’s are able to grant credit in seconds! AI reviews legal documents. A manual review of 12,000 documents use to take 360,000 hours, but today, this can be done in seconds using AI.”