• Ifeyinwa Osime succeeds Paul Usoro San, who retired on January 29, 2026

• She has served on Access Bank’s board as an independent director since 2019

• The appointment comes amid tighter governance demands in Nigeria’s banking sector

Access Bank, one of Nigeria’s leading financial institutions, has appointed lawyer Ifeyinwa Osime as chair of its board of directors. She succeeds Paul Usoro San, who retired on January 29, after completing his regulatory term.

A trained lawyer and corporate governance specialist, Osime was already a member of Access Bank’s board. She has served as an independent non-executive director since November 2019 and has played an active role in shaping the bank’s strategic direction. During this period, she chaired the human resources and sustainability committee, as well as the governance, nomination, and remuneration committee, both central to leadership, performance, and sustainability policies within the group.

Before her appointment as board chair, Osime held several key positions within the bank’s governance structure. Through these roles, she contributed to strengthening governance standards and integrating sustainability considerations into the group’s strategic priorities.

Alongside her responsibilities at Access Bank, Osime, who was admitted to the Nigerian Bar in 1987, is a partner at McPherson Legal Practitioners and a director at Ebudo Trust Limited. She began her career in reinsurance before moving into the insurance sector, including roles at NSIA Insurance.

Her appointment comes at a time of ongoing reshaping in Nigeria’s banking sector, which is facing rising requirements in governance, risk management, and regulatory compliance. By appointing an experienced legal professional with strong expertise in strategy and governance as board chair, Access Bank signals its intention to pursue further expansion across Africa and strengthen its footprint at a time when Western banks are gradually scaling back their presence on the continent.

Sandrine Gaingne