Access Bank appoints ex-AfDB risk chief Ifedayo Orimoloye as Executive Director

Access Holdings Plc has announced the appointment of Mr. Ifedayo Olaniyi Orimoloye as Executive Director, Risk Management of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc, following regulatory approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

The appointment, which takes effect from September 21, 2026, was disclosed in a statement signed by the Group Company Secretary, Sunday Ekwochi, and seen by Nairametrics.

According to the Group, the appointment underscores Access Bank’s commitment to maintaining strong corporate governance standards, robust risk management practices, and long-term value creation for stakeholders.

What they are saying

Access Holdings confirmed that the appointment received the approval of the CBN and aligns with the bank’s governance and regulatory requirements.

• “Access Holdings Plc is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr. Ifedayo Olaniyi Orimoloye as Executive Director, Risk Management of its flagship subsidiary, Access Bank Plc, following the approval of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN),” the statement read.

The Group noted that Orimoloye’s appointment is expected to further strengthen the bank’s risk governance framework as it continues to pursue its growth and transformation strategy across multiple markets.

Commenting on the development, Group Chairman of Access Holdings Plc, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, CFR, described Orimoloye as a seasoned risk management professional with extensive international experience.

• “Mr. Orimoloye brings strong global risk management experience and strategic leadership to the Board of Access Bank Plc. His appointment will further strengthen the Bank’s risk governance and support its scale-to-value focus. We are pleased to welcome him and look forward to his contributions to the Group’s long-term value creation agenda,” he said.

About Ifedayo Orimoloye

Orimoloye is an internationally recognised risk management executive with more than 25 years of experience spanning Africa, Europe, and the United States.

• Before joining Access Bank, he served as Group Chief Risk Officer of the African Development Bank (AfDB), where he oversaw a risk portfolio exceeding $40 billion and contributed to the institution’s retention of its AAA credit ratings from Moody’s, S&P Global Ratings, and Fitch Ratings.
• During his tenure at AfDB, he also played a key role in major capital market and securitisation transactions, including initiatives designed to expand access to renewable energy financing across Africa.

His career includes senior risk leadership positions at Sterling Bank Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated, Wells Fargo Bank, HSBC, and Citigroup, where he led enterprise risk management, governance, portfolio management, and strategic transformation initiatives across multiple jurisdictions.

Orimoloye holds dual bachelor’s degrees in Economics and Finance, as well as an MBA in Finance from California State University, Hayward.

Get up to speed

The appointment comes amid ongoing efforts by Access Holdings to strengthen leadership capacity across its operations and align talent management with its long-term growth strategy.

• Earlier in July, the Group vested more than 200 million shares in 77 employees across Access Holdings and its subsidiaries under an employee share ownership scheme aimed at rewarding performance and driving alignment with shareholder interests.

Former Executive Director, Business Support, Bolaji Agbede emerged as the largest beneficiary of the programme with an allocation of 15.09 million shares, while several other senior executives across the Group also received substantial allocations.

What you should know

Access Bank recently dismissed viral social media claims suggesting that the bank was shutting down operations.

The lender described the reports as false and misleading, reassuring customers and stakeholders that its operations remain stable and unaffected.

The bank also stated that it would pursue legal action against individuals responsible for spreading misinformation capable of undermining public confidence in the institution.