By Nonso Adigwe
Society Page Editor
Late Nigerian banking executive Herbert Wigwe has been connected to ownership of 106 properties in London, ranking him among the top foreign real estate investors in the British capital, according to a new investigation.
The report by The Londoner, titled “Revealed: The Billionaires Who Really Own London,” identified more than 32,000 properties across the city held by overseas entities. The findings were made possible following changes in UK transparency laws requiring foreign companies to disclose their beneficial owners.
Researchers analysed newly released data and linked thousands of previously anonymous properties to wealthy individuals and organisations from around the world. The investigation revealed that Wigwe ranked seventh among billionaires with the largest property holdings in London.
The properties identified in the report are spread across some of the city’s most prestigious and commercially significant areas, including Oxford Street, Canary Wharf, and Greenwich Peninsula.
Before his death, Wigwe served as Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc, one of Nigeria’s largest banking institutions. He died in a helicopter crash in the United States in February 2024 alongside members of his family and Abimbola Ogunbanjo.
Since his passing, legal disputes have reportedly emerged over the management and distribution of his estate.
The investigation also highlighted how many of London’s high-value properties are held through offshore companies, including those registered in jurisdictions such as Jersey, where ownership details were previously difficult to trace.
The findings shed light on the scale of foreign investment in London’s real estate market, revealing extensive property portfolios held by wealthy individuals and global investors through overseas corporate structures.
