Access Holdings Plc has announced that the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc, its flagship subsidiary, has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as Chairman of the Board following the retirement of Paul Usoro on January 29, 2026, after he completed his regulatory tenure. Osime is a seasoned legal practitioner with extensive experience in corporate governance and strategic leadership. She joined the Access Bank Board in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Before her appointment as chairman, she served as Chair of the Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee and the Board Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, where she played a key role in strengthening governance structures, leadership development and sustainability initiatives.
She also held memberships on several other board committees.Beyond Access Bank, Osime is a director at Ebudo Trust Limited and a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial law and contributes to the firm’s strategic direction. Her previous board roles include serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Coronation Insurance Plc, Board Chairman of Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd, and Non-Executive Director at Bank PHB, now known as Keystone Bank Limited.
She began her professional career at the Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation before joining African Development Insurance Company Limited, now NSIA Insurance, where she served as Company Secretary and Assistant General Manager for Administration and Legal.Osime earned her law degree from the University of Benin 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 participated in executive education programmes at institutions including INSEAD, IMD, Harvard Business School, MIT and Stanford, reflecting her commitment to continuous professional development and global best practices.
She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Women Corporate Directors Nigeria Chapter, and the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, where she sits on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group. Outside her professional work, Osime is actively involved in mentoring young people and supports the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, underscoring her commitment to inclusion and social impact.
Commenting on the appointment, Access Holdings Plc Group Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede described Osime as a principled and highly experienced leader with a deep understanding of the bank’s strategy and values. He expressed confidence that under her leadership, Access Bank would continue to deliver sustainable value to shareholders and other stakeholders while advancing its vision of becoming the world’s most respected African bank. Aig-Imoukhuede also congratulated Paul Usoro on the successful completion of his tenure, commending his exemplary leadership, dedication and significant contributions to the group, and wished him well in his future endeavours, noting that he remains a valued member of the Access family.
