Access Holdings PLC. has confirmed the death of its CEO, Herbert Wigwe.
The 57-year-old died in a helicopter crash in the United States on Friday night.
Access Bank released a statement on Sunday saying Wigwe died with his wife and son in the crash.
"The entire Access Family mourns the loss of Herbert, Doreen, and Chizi. We extend our deep and sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones," the statement read.
"Dr. Wigwe was a key driving force and a larger-than-life personality who brought his remarkable passion, energy, and experience to the transformation of the Access franchise since joining the bank in 2002."
The helicopter crash claimed the lives of all six people on board, including Wigwe's wife, Doreen Chizoba and son, Chizi along with the former president of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
The helicopter, a Eurocopter EC130, was en route from Palm Springs to Boulder City in Nevada when it crashed under poor weather conditions.
The helicopter was not equipped with flight data or cock pit voice recorder, according to US officials.
Wigwe, a prominent figure in Africa's banking industry, was on his way to attend the Super Bowl in Las Vegas scheduled for Sunday.
He was known for his transformative leadership at Access Bank, where he served as CEO since 2014.
Under his guidance, Access Bank expanded its reach across Africa and beyond, becoming Nigeria's largest bank by total assets in 2018 after acquiring Diamond Bank.
In addition to his contributions to banking, Wigwe was passionate about education.
His newly formed Wigwe University in Rivers State was due to take its first students in the 2024/2025 academic year, with the aim of becoming the best university in Africa.
