New Report: Wigwe ranks 7th on Billionaire homeowners list with 106 London assets

The late Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, Herbert Wigwe, has been named among top foreign owners of high-value real estate in London, following a new investigative report by The Londoner.

The report, titled “Revealed: The billionaires who really own London,” uncovered the true owners behind more than 32,000 properties across the UK capital, aided by recent legal reforms requiring offshore companies to disclose their beneficial owners.

According to the findings, Wigwe was linked to 106 properties in London, placing him seventh on the list of major overseas property holders. The report also highlighted that thousands of premium properties are registered through companies based in St Helier, Jersey, widely regarded as a tax haven.

The disclosure comes more than a year after Wigwe’s tragic death in a helicopter crash on February 9, 2024, in California near the Nevada border. He died alongside his wife, son, and former Nigerian Exchange Group chairman, Abimbola Ogunbanjo, among others.

Investigations by the US National Transportation Safety Board later attributed the crash to the pilot’s decision to proceed under visual flight rules despite adverse weather conditions.

Since his passing, reports indicate that members of Wigwe’s family have been engaged in legal disputes over his estate, with an appeal filed in 2025 challenging a Lagos High Court ruling on the matter.

Background

The late Herbert Wigwe, former Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, was widely regarded as one of Nigeria’s most influential banking executives, with significant interests spanning finance, real estate, and international investments.

His career was marked by rapid corporate expansion and a growing global footprint, particularly in high-value markets such as the United Kingdom.

In recent years, increased regulatory scrutiny in the UK has led to greater transparency in property ownership, especially involving foreign investors using offshore entities.

Legislative changes now compel such companies to disclose their beneficial owners, exposing previously concealed holdings in cities like London, long considered a hub for global real estate investments.

Wigwe’s death in a helicopter crash in February 2024 not only shocked Nigeria’s financial sector but also triggered legal disputes over his estate, highlighting the complexities surrounding wealth, succession, and asset ownership among high-net-worth individuals.

It is within this broader context of financial transparency and posthumous estate scrutiny that revelations about offshore property holdings have gained prominence.

The Londoner

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