Herbert Wigwe, the chief executive of Nigeria’s Access Holdings, parent company of Access Bank, tragically lost his life in a helicopter crash in California on Friday night, along with his wife, child, and other passengers, including a former group chairman of the Nigerian Exchange.
The crash, which occurred near the border between California and Nevada, resulted in no survivors.
The helicopter, identified as a Eurocopter EC130 by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), crashed approximately 60 miles from Las Vegas. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, led by the FAA and the U.S. transportation safety agency.
Wigwe, aged 57, had served as CEO of Access Bank since 2014, leading the bank through a period of significant growth and expansion across Africa. Under his leadership, Access Bank embarked on an ambitious Africa expansion drive, acquiring majority stakes in banks in Kenya, South Africa, Angola, Botswana, and Mozambique. The bank’s acquisition of a competitor in 2019 propelled it to become Nigeria’s largest bank by total assets.
In addition to his contributions to the banking sector, Wigwe was deeply committed to higher education. He had been spearheading the establishment of Wigwe University in the oil-producing Rivers state in southern Nigeria. Set to commence its inaugural academic session later this year, the university aims to enroll 10,000 students over the next five years, with an estimated project cost of $500 million.
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In a recent interview, Wigwe underscored the importance of investing in higher education as a means to broaden Africa’s economic opportunities globally and address migration trends that contribute to instability in Europe and America.
As news of Wigwe’s untimely passing spreads, the banking and education sectors mourn the loss of a visionary leader whose impact extended beyond borders. Access Holdings has yet to issue a statement regarding Wigwe’s death, and further updates are awaited.
