Herbert Wigwe Biography, Age, Wife, Children, Net Worth, Family, Death, Obituary, and more
Herbert Wigwe was a Nigerian banker, entrepreneur, and philanthropist who co-founded and led Access Bank, the largest bank in Nigeria and one of the top five in Africa. He was widely regarded as an industry leader, a financial expert, and a visionary who transformed a small bank into a global institution. He died in a tragic helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, along with his wife, son, and three others, leaving behind a remarkable legacy and a huge gap in the Nigerian banking sector.
Herbert Wigwe Wiki/Bio
| Name | Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe |
|---|---|
| Date of birth | August 15, 1966 |
| Place of birth | Isiokpo, Rivers State, or Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria |
| Date of death | February 9, 2024 |
| Place of death | Nipton, California, U.S.A. |
| Cause of death | Helicopter crash |
| Occupation | Banker, entrepreneur, philanthropist |
| Nationality | Nigerian |
| Ethnicity | Ikwerre |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Spouse | Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba) |
| Children | Chizi, Tochi, Hannah, David |
| Education | University of Nigeria, Nsukka; University College of North Wales; University of London; Harvard Business School |
| Awards | African Banker of the Year (2016); BusinessDay CEO of the Year (2017); Forbes Best of Africa Award (2020); African Bank of the Year (2021) |
| Foundation | Herbert Wigwe Foundation |
| University | Wigwe University |
| Bank | Access Bank Plc |
| Links | Wikipedia- @Herbert_Wigwe Homepage- Newsunzip |
Birthday, Parents, Early Life, Education
Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe was born on August 15, 1966 (age: 57 years, as of 2023), in Isiokpo, Rivers State, or Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria. His father, Pastor Shynle Wigwe, was the head of the Nigerian Television Authority, and his mother, Stellar Wigwe, was a nurse. He had three sisters (Joyce, Peggy, and Stella) and one brother (Emeka). He grew up in a modest and religious family, and showed an early interest in finance and business.
Herbert Wigwe earned a bachelor’s degree in accountancy from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 1987. In 1990, he received the British Council scholarship to study at the University College of North Wales (now Bangor University), earning a Master of Arts in banking and finance in 1991. He later earned a MSc in financial economics from the University of London in 1996. He also attended the Harvard Business School executive management program, and in 2018, he received an honorary doctorate from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
Career and Achievements
Herbert Wigwe started his career at Coopers & Lybrand, a management consulting firm, in the late 1980s, becoming a chartered accountant in 1989. He later joined Guaranty Trust Bank, one of the leading banks in Nigeria, where he worked for over a decade and eventually became executive director around 1998.
Access Bank
In 2002, Herbert Wigwe and his business partner, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, bought Access Bank, a small and struggling bank with a capital base of $10 million and a ranking of 65th out of 89 banks in Nigeria. Their purchase was delayed over the Central Bank of Nigeria’s concerns that the pair were too young to own a bank. However, they managed to convince the regulators and embarked on an ambitious journey to transform Access Bank into a world-class financial institution.
Between 2002 and 2017, the bank grew to become the fourth-largest bank in Nigeria, with a capital base of over $1 billion and a ranking of 12th out of 25 banks in Nigeria. Between 2002 and 2014, Wigwe served as the company’s deputy managing director. He also served as the chairman of Access Bank Ghana Limited starting in 2013.
From January 2014 until his death, he was the CEO and group managing director of Access Bank. Under his leadership, the bank achieved several milestones, such as:
- Merging with Diamond Bank, a leading retail bank, in 2018, making Access Bank the largest bank in Nigeria and Africa by customer base, with over 40 million customers.
- Expanding across the continent, acquiring banks in countries such as Kenya, South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, Mozambique, and Rwanda
- Launching a new banking service in Asia in early 2024, with plans to open branches in China, India, Singapore, and Malaysia
- Winning numerous awards and recognitions, such as the African Banker of the Year in 2016, the BusinessDay CEO of the Year in 2017, the Forbes Best of Africa Award in 2020, and the African Bank of the Year in 2021.
Herbert Wigwe was known for his passion, energy, and experience, as well as his vision, innovation, and strategy. He was instrumental in driving the bank’s digital transformation, social impact, and sustainability initiatives. He was also involved in the creation of a leadership series known as the Access Conference, which brought together global leaders and experts to discuss and proffer solutions to the most pressing issues facing Africa and the world.
Wigwe University
Herbert Wigwe was not only a banker, but also a philanthropist and an educationist. He believed that investing in higher education was key to addressing the challenges of poverty, unemployment, and migration in Africa and beyond. He was in the process of starting his own educational institute, Wigwe University, which was set to launch in September 2024 in his hometown of Isiokpo, Rivers State.
Wigwe University was envisioned as a world-class institution that would focus on fostering entrepreneurship, innovation, and leadership among its students. The university would offer undergraduate and postgraduate programs in various fields, such as business, engineering, law, medicine, and arts. The university would also partner with leading universities and organizations around the world to provide quality education and opportunities for its students.
He had a personal interest in education, as he was a lifelong learner who constantly sought to improve his knowledge and skills. He was also a mentor and a role model to many young people, especially in the banking sector. He once said, “We need to take a holistic approach to address global migration, starting with our traditional framework for international development. The best place to limit migration is not in the middle of the Mediterranean or the English Channel or the Rio Grande. It is in the home countries that so many migrants are so desperate to leave”.
Wife, Kids
Herbert Wigwe was married to Chizoba Wigwe (née Nwuba), a lawyer and an entrepreneur. They had four children: Chizi Wigwe, Tochi Wigwe, Hannah Wigwe, and David Wigwe. He met his wife during the National Youth Service Corps program in Nigeria, and married her just four months after their first meeting. He described his wife as his best friend and his pillar of support.
He was a devoted family man who loved spending time with his wife and children. He was also a man of faith who was active in his church and community. He was known for his generosity, humility, and kindness. He supported various causes and charities, especially in the areas of education, health, and empowerment. He established the Herbert Wigwe Foundation, which focused on providing scholarships, grants, and mentorship to young people, especially from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Death and Legacy
Herbert Wigwe died in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, along with his wife, son, and three others. They were on their way to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl LVIII championship. The helicopter crashed near Nipton, California, on the edge of the Mojave Desert Preserve. The weather was poor, with reports of rain and snow showers in the area. The cause of the crash is still under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Wigwe’s death was a huge shock and a great loss to the Nigerian banking industry, the business community, and the nation at large. He was widely mourned and celebrated by his colleagues, friends, associates, and admirers. President Bola Tinubu described his death as an “overwhelming tragedy that is shocking beyond comprehension”. He said, “I extend my condolences to the Wigwe and Ogunbanjo families, the business community, and all those impacted by this harrowing incident”.
His legacy lives on in the bank he co-founded and led, the university he envisioned and established, the foundation he created and supported, and the lives he touched and inspired. He was a banking visionary, a financial expert, a philanthropist, and a leader who made a difference in the world. He will be remembered as one of the most influential and respected figures in the history of Nigerian banking.
Height, Weight
- Height: 5 ft 11 in
- Weight: 88 kg
Net Worth and Income
| Year | Net Worth (in $ million) |
|---|---|
| 2023 | $65.2 million |
