By Ayomide Otitoju
Access Bank Plc has appointed Ifeyinwa Osime as the new Chairman of its Board, following the retirement of Paul Usoro on January 29, 2026, after completing his regulatory tenure.
The appointment was disclosed in a notice to the Nigerian Exchange Limited on Monday by the company’s secretary, Sunday Ekwochi.
In the statement, Access Holdings Plc announced that the Board of Directors of Access Bank Plc, its flagship subsidiary, approved Osime’s appointment as Board Chairman with effect from January 29, 2026.
Osime, a legal practitioner and corporate governance expert, has served as an Independent Non-Executive Director on the bank’s board since November 2019. During this period, she chaired the Board’s Human Resources and Sustainability Committee, as well as the Governance, Nomination and Remuneration Committee, where she played a key role in leadership development and sustainability initiatives.
Her boardroom experience spans several financial services institutions, including Coronation Insurance Plc, Coronation Life Insurance Company Ltd, and Bank PHB, now known as Keystone Bank Limited. She also sits on the board of Ebudo Trust Limited and is a Partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners, where she advises on corporate and commercial legal matters.
Commenting on the appointment, Group Chairman Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede described Osime as “a principled and experienced leader with a deep understanding of the bank’s strategy and values,” adding that her leadership would further strengthen the bank’s ability to deliver sustainable value to shareholders and stakeholders.
Usoro was praised for his exemplary leadership and contributions during his tenure and was described as a valued member of the Access Group.
Osime holds a law degree from the University of Benin and a Master of Laws in Commercial and Corporate Law from the London School of Economics. She has also participated in executive education programmes at leading global institutions, including INSEAD, IMD, Harvard, MIT and Stanford.
