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 assets through shell companies and offshore structures, following a UK legal reform that now requires foreign property owners to declare their beneficial ownership.
However, the publication was careful to clarify that its findings do not suggest any wrongdoing.
“The report documents ownership and does not allege any wrongdoing,” The Londoner stated.
Wigwe, the former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank, died in a helicopter crash in California in February 2024 alongside his wife, son, and a friend. He was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential banking executives, having played a central role in transforming Access Bank into one of Nigeria’s largest financial institutions.
According to the investigation, Wigwe’s connection to 106 London properties highlights the scale of his footprint in one of the world’s most expensive real estate markets.
Prior records had only linked him to a single address on The Bishops Avenue in North London—one of the city’s most exclusive residential areas. In 2012, he was listed as a director of Carmel Gate Ltd, with a correspondence address at Flat 7, Allingham Court, 44 The Bishops Avenue.
The latest findings, however, suggest his property interests were significantly more extensive than previously known.
Beyond real estate, Wigwe also served as a director of Access Bank UK Limited from 2008 until his death. Documents from Access Holdings further show that he and the current Access Bank CEO, Roosevelt Ogbonna, were the only shareholders at the incorporation of the holding company in 2021, each holding 4,000,000 ordinary shares.
The investigation also sheds light on the broader scale of foreign ownership in London, spanning key commercial and residential hubs such as Oxford Street and Camden Market, as well as luxury towers and landmark properties—many held through offshore entities in jurisdictions like Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands.
The disclosures were enabled by a 2022 UK law mandating overseas entities owning real estate in the country to register their true owners with authorities.
In the ranking of foreign-linked property holders, Wigwe placed seventh with 106 properties. He trails John Corless (246 properties), Sarah Bard (130), Simon Reuben (129), Alexander Bard (122), Rit Thirakomen (120), and Wolfgang Peter Egger (120).
Notably, Wigwe’s portfolio places him ahead of major institutional and state-linked owners, including the Private Department of the President of the UAE (84 properties), Ashah Joosab (80), and the Washington State Investment Board (51).
The report provides one of the most detailed insights yet into the extent of high-value London real estate controlled by overseas investors, corporations, and governments through complex ownership structures.
