Late Herbert Wigwe linked to 106 properties in London

Late Nigerian banking executive Herbert Wigwe has been identified as the owner of 106 properties in London, placing him seventh among the city’s top billionaire real-estate holders

The revelation comes from a report by The Londoner as part of an investigation titled “Revealed: The billionaires who really own London.” The study examined 32,611 London properties held by foreign entities, following a recent UK law requiring overseas companies to disclose their beneficial owners.

Researchers said the new disclosures have made it possible to trace previously hidden owners of prime commercial and residential locations, including Oxford Street, Canary Wharf, and Greenwich Peninsula.

Wigwe, who was Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, tragically died in a helicopter crash in the United States in February 2024, along with his wife, son, and former Nigerian Exchange Group chairman Abimbola Ogunbanjo. Since his passing, members of his family have reportedly been engaged in legal disputes over his estate.

The investigation also highlighted that many of London’s high-value properties are held via offshore companies in jurisdictions such as Jersey, where ownership transparency was previously limited.