February 02, (THEWILL) — Access Bank Plc has announced the appointment of Ifeyinwa Osime as the new Chairman of its Board, following the retirement of Mr Paul Usoro, SAN, who stepped down on January 29, 2026, after completing his regulatory tenure.
The appointment was announced by Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of the Bank, which described Mrs Osime as a seasoned legal practitioner with extensive experience in corporate governance, strategic leadership and board oversight.
A statement signed on Monday by the Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, disclosed that Mrs Osime joined the Board of Access Bank in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director.
Until her elevation, she served as Chairman of the Board Human Resources and Sustainability Committee, as well as the Board Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, where she played a key role in strengthening governance frameworks, leadership development 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 law, while contributing to the firm’s strategic leadership. Her previous board experience includes serving as an Independent Non-Executive Director at Coronation Insurance Plc, Board Chairman of Coronation Life Insurance Company Limited, and Non-Executive Director at Bank PHB, now Keystone Bank Limited.
She began her professional career at the 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 degree in Commercial and Corporate Law from the London School of Economics and has attended executive education programmes at leading global institutions including INSEAD, IMD, Harvard Business School, MIT and Stanford University.
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. She is also actively involved in mentoring young professionals and supports initiatives within the Autism and Developmental Delays Support Community, underscoring her commitment to inclusion and social impact.
Commenting on the appointment, the Group Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, described Mrs 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 commended Usoro for his exemplary leadership and significant contributions to the Group, wishing him success in his future endeavours while noting that he remains a valued member of the Access family.
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