Late Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe, the former Chief Executive Officer of Access Corporation Plc, is linked to 106 luxury properties in London.
The disclosure comes from an exclusive report by The Londoner, which analyzed newly released data on overseas ownership of UK real estate.
The report ranks Wigwe among the top owners of prime London properties, ahead of several influential people and institutions.
What the report is saying
The report provides a detailed overview of London’s high-value real estate held by overseas investors, corporations, and governments through offshore companies.
- Wigwe is ranked 7th in terms of property holdings, highlighting the scale of his portfolio.
- John Corless tops the list with 246 properties, followed by Sarah Bard with 130 properties, Simon Reuben with 129, Alexander Bard with 122, Rit Thirakomen with 120, and Wolfgang Peter Egger with 120 properties.
- Wigwe’s 106-property portfolio places him ahead of powerful entities such as the Private Department of the President of the UAE (84 properties), Ashah Joosab (80 properties), and the Washington State Investment Board (51 properties).
The analysis shows how private individuals can amass significant influence in London’s real estate market, sometimes surpassing institutional investors.
The findings illustrate the growing footprint of global investors in London’s prime property market, particularly through offshore structures that obscure ownership details.
More insights
Many of London’s most valuable properties—including luxury apartments, commercial spaces, and high-profile retail units are held via offshore companies registered in Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands.
- This allows owners to maintain anonymity while controlling high-value real estate across the capital, from Canary Wharf and Greenwich Peninsula to Oxford Street.
- Historically, these offshore structures made tracing property ownership extremely difficult, though they remain legal.
- The 2022 UK law requiring overseas entities owning UK real estate to declare beneficial owners has started to expose previously hidden networks.
Using data compiled by Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates, The Londoner identified 32,611 London properties owned by overseas entities, with Wigwe’s holdings notable for their scale and value.
The report highlights how figures like Wigwe have quietly built substantial control over London’s property landscape, operating largely out of public view.
What you should know
Late Herbert Wigwe was the Founding Group Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc.
- He, along with his wife and son, died on Friday, 9 February 2024, in a helicopter accident in the United States.
- The Eurocopter EC 130, en route from Palm Springs to Boulder City, crashed around 10 pm (US California Time).
- Wigwe and his family were reportedly headed to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas at the time of the accident.
His death marked the loss of one of Nigeria’s most prominent banking figures.
Wigwe’s portfolio of 106 luxury London properties reflects the growing presence and influence of international investors in the city’s high-value real estate market.
