A report by The Londoner has linked former Access Bank chief executive officer Herbert Wigwe to 106 luxury properties in London.
The publication said its findings were based on newly released data on overseas ownership of real estate in the United Kingdom.
According to the report, Wigwe ranks seventh among owners of prime London properties, ahead of several individuals and institutions.
It said the data provides an overview of high-value real estate in London held by overseas investors, companies and governments through offshore structures.
Wigwe had previously been linked to an address on The Bishops Avenue in north London, an area known for high-value homes.
Records show he was listed in 2012 as a director of Carmel Gate Ltd, with a correspondence address at Flat 7, Allingham Court, 44 The Bishops Avenue. The report said his property interests in London appear to be wider than earlier records indicated.
Wigwe also served as a director of The Access Bank UK Ltd from 2008 until his death. Documents from Access Holdings show that he and current Access Bank chief executive officer Roosevelt Ogbonna were the only shareholders when the holding company was incorporated in 2021, with 4,000,000 ordinary shares each.
The Londoner said foreign ownership of property in London spans areas such as Oxford Street and Camden Market as well as residential towers and commercial sites. Many of the properties are held through companies registered in Jersey, Guernsey and the British Virgin Islands.
The publication stated that the report documents ownership and does not allege wrongdoing.
It said 32,611 London properties are owned by overseas entities, based on data compiled by Dan Neidle of Tax Policy Associates.
The report added that a 2022 law in the United Kingdom now requires overseas entities that own property to declare their beneficial owners, making it easier to trace ownership.
Wigwe, his wife and son died on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash in the United States while travelling to the Super Bowl in Las Vegas. His family has since been involved in legal disputes over his estate.
Culled QEDNG
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