Ifeyinwa Osime ascends to the topmost leadership position of Access Bank Plc as she becomes the board chairman of the first-generation bank
In a move that has elicited excitement in the boardroom and numerous customers of Access Bank Plc, the bank recently elevated Mrs. Ifeyinwa Osime to the position of the new Chairman of its Board of Directors. Osime’s appointment to the prestigious office followed the retirement of Mr. Paul Usoro, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), who stepped down on January 29, 2026 after completing his regulatory tenure limit. The appointment was announced by Access Holdings Plc, the parent company of the bank and takes immediate effect.
Mrs. Osime, a seasoned legal practitioner and corporate governance expert, joined the Board of Access Bank in November 2019 as an Independent Non-Executive Director. Until her appointment as the Chairman Board of Directors, 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 key roles in strengthening leadership development, governance standards and sustainability initiatives within the bank.
She has also served on several other board committees where she brought extensive boardroom experience from both the financial services and insurance sectors. Her previous jobs include Independent Non-Executive Director at Coronation Insurance Plc, Board Chairman of Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd, and Non-Executive Director at Bank PHB, now Keystone Bank Limited.
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 leadership.
Mrs. Osime began her professional career at the Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation before joining African Development Insurance Company Limited (now NSIA Insurance) as Company Secretary and Assistant General Manager, Administration and Legal Services.
An alumna of the University of Benin, she was called to the Nigerian Bar in 1987 and holds a Master’s Degree in Commercial and Corporate Law from the London School of Economics. She has also attended executive education programmes at leading global institutions including INSEAD, IMD, Harvard Business School, MIT and Stanford.
She is a member of the Nigerian Bar Association, Women Corporate Directors (Nigeria Chapter) and the Chartered Institute of Directors Nigeria, where she serves on the Executive Committee of the Women Sectoral Group. She is also actively involved in mentoring young people and supporting initiatives focused on autism and developmental delays.
Commenting on the appointment, Group Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, described Mrs. Osime as a principled and experienced leader with a strong understanding of the bank’s strategy and values.
“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 the outgoing Chairman, Mr. Usoro, for his exemplary leadership and contributions to the group, wishing him success in his future endeavours while noting that he remains a valued member of the Access family.
