Access Bank Appoints Ifeyinwa Osime as Board Chairman

Nume Ekeghe

Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mrs. Ifeyinwa Osime as Chairman of the Board of Access Bank Plc, its flagship subsidiary, following the retirement of Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, who stepped down on January 29, 2026, upon the completion of his regulatory tenure.

The appointment was disclosed in a statement signed by Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, who stated that Osime was an accomplished legal practitioner with a strong background in corporate governance and strategic leadership.

She was appointed to Access Bank’s Board in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director.

Prior to her recent appointment, she served as Chairman of the Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee, as well as Board Governance Nomination and Remuneration Committee, making significant contributions to governance, leadership development, and sustainability.

Osime also served on several other board committees. In addition, she is a director at Ebudo Trust Limited and Partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial legal matters, and contributes to the firm’s leadership and strategic direction.

Her previous board experience includes serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director of Coronation Insurance Plc, Board Chairman of Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd, and Non-Executive Director, Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank Limited).

Osime began her career at Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation and later joined African Development Insurance Company Limited (ADIC, now NSIA Insurance) as Company Secretary/Assistant General Manager, Administration & Legal.

She is a law graduate of the University of Benin, Benin City, and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. She holds a Master of Laws in Commercial and Corporate Law from the London School of Economics and has attended executive education programmes at INSEAD, IMD, Harvard Business School, MIT, and Stanford, among others, reflecting her commitment to continuous professional development and global best practices.

Osime is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Women Corporate Directors Nigeria Chapter, and Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, where she serves on Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.

Beyond her professional responsibilities, she is committed to mentoring young people and is actively involved in the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.

Speaking on her appointment, Group Chairman, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, said, “Mrs. Osime is a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the bank’s strategy and values.

“She has demonstrated strong commitment to the bank’s vision and mission, and I am confident that, under her leadership, the bank will continue to advance its strategic objectives of delivering sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders in the pursuit of its vision to become the world’s most respected African bank.”