Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mrs. Ifeyinwa Osime as the new Chairman of the Board of Access Bank Plc, its flagship subsidiary, following the retirement of Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, who completed his regulatory tenure on January 29, 2026.
The appointment was approved by the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc, reinforcing the Group’s commitment to strong corporate governance and strategic leadership.
Mrs. Osime is an accomplished legal practitioner with extensive experience in corporate governance, board leadership, and sustainability. She joined the Board of Access Bank in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director and has since played a pivotal role in shaping the Bank’s governance framework.
Prior to her appointment as Chairman, she served as Chairman of the Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee, as well as the Board Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, where she made significant contributions to leadership development, governance excellence, and sustainability initiatives. She also served on several other board committees.
Beyond Access Bank, Mrs. Osime is a Director at Ebudo Trust Limited and a Partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial legal matters and contributes to the firm’s strategic direction. Her previous board experience includes serving as Independent Non-Executive Director of Coronation Insurance Plc, Board Chairman of Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd, and Non-Executive Director at Bank PHB (now Keystone Bank Limited).
She began her professional career at Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation before joining African Development Insurance Company Limited (ADIC), now NSIA Insurance, where she served as Company Secretary and Assistant General Manager, Administration and Legal.
Mrs. Osime is a graduate of Law from the University of Benin and was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987. She holds a Master of Laws (LL.M) 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 University, underscoring her commitment to global best practices and continuous professional development.
She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Women Corporate Directors (Nigeria Chapter), and the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, where she currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group.
Outside her professional engagements, Mrs. Osime is actively involved in mentoring young people and supports the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, reflecting her dedication to inclusion and social impact.
Reacting to the appointment, Group Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, described Mrs. Osime as a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the Bank’s strategy and values.
“Mrs. Osime has demonstrated strong commitment to the Bank’s vision and mission. 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 pursuit of its vision to become the World’s Most Respected African Bank,” he said.
Mr. Aig-Imoukhuede also commended Mr. Paul Usoro, SAN, for his exemplary leadership and service to the Group, wishing him continued success while noting that he remains a valued member of the Access family.
The announcement was signed by Sunday Ekwochi, Company Secretary, Access Holdings Plc.
