Tragic Helicopter Crash Claims Lives of Nigerian Business Leaders Abimbola Ogunbanjo and Herbert Wigwe

Tragedy struck the Nigerian business community as Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the group Managing Director of Access Bank Corporation, and Herbert Wigwe, former group chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group), lost their lives in a helicopter crash in California.

The exact circumstances of the crash, including the location and time, remain unclear as investigations are underway to determine the cause of the tragic incident.

Born in Nigeria, Bamofin Lawal Rilwan, who held a law degree from the University of Lagos and a Master of Laws degree from the London School of Economics, began his career as a credit analyst at Chase Manhattan Bank (Nigeria) Limited.

He later ventured into private practice, joining the law firm of Chris Ogunbanjo LP, where he specialized in commercial law areas such as capital markets, shipping, and mergers and acquisitions.

During his tenure, Ogunbanjo served as the President of the National Council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) from 2017 to 2021 and was appointed as the Group Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group) in 2021, overseeing the demutualization process of the NSE.

His leadership extended to various multinational corporations and non-profit organizations, including positions on the boards of companies such as Beta Glass Plc and advisory roles at the University of Buckingham Center for Extractive Studies.