Photo: Late Herbert Wigwe
A new investigation by UK publication The Londoner has linked the late Herbert Wigwe to 106 properties across London, placing him among the top foreign owners of real estate in the British capital.
The report, which examined 32,611 London properties owned by overseas entities, traced ownership through shell companies and offshore structures following a 2022 UK law requiring foreign property owners to disclose their beneficial ownership. It, however, stressed that the findings do not suggest any wrongdoing, noting that it only documents ownership patterns.
Wigwe, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, died in a helicopter crash in California in February 2024 alongside members of his family. He was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential banking executives, credited with transforming Access Bank into one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions.
According to the investigation, Wigwe’s connection to 106 properties highlights the scale of his presence in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets. Previous records had linked him to just a single address on The Bishops Avenue in North London, where he was listed in 2012 as a director of Carmel Gate Ltd.
The latest findings indicate that his property interests were far more extensive than earlier known. Beyond real estate, Wigwe also served as a director of Access Bank UK Limited from 2008 until his death. Documents from Access Holdings show that he and current Access Bank CEO Roosevelt Ogbonna were the only shareholders at the company’s incorporation in 2021, each holding four million ordinary shares.
The investigation also revealed the broader scale of foreign ownership across London, covering major commercial and residential hubs such as Oxford Street and Camden Market, as well as luxury developments often held through offshore entities in jurisdictions including Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands.
In the ranking of foreign-linked property owners, Wigwe placed seventh with 106 properties, behind individuals such as John Corless and Sarah Bard. His portfolio places him ahead of several institutional and state-linked owners, including the Private Department of the President of the UAE.
The report offers one of the most detailed insights into the extent of high-value London real estate controlled by overseas investors, corporations, and governments through complex ownership structures.
