A fresh report has ranked the late Herbert Wigwe among the top foreign owners of high-end real estate in London, United Kingdom, with more than 100 properties linked to his name.
Wigwe, who was the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Bank Plc, reportedly owned 106 luxury properties located across some of London’s most exclusive districts.
The properties are said to be spread across prime locations, including Oxford Street, Canary Wharf, Greenwich Peninsula, and other upscale parts of the British capital.
According to a report published by UK-based newspaper, The Londoner, the Nigerian banker ranked seventh among the top 10 foreign landlords in London.
The report listed other prominent figures on the chart, including Thai billionaire Rit Thirakomen and British property magnate Simon Reuben, who were also identified as major owners of multiple properties in the city.
Wigwe died on February 9, 2024, in a helicopter crash near the California-Nevada border in the United States, alongside members of his family, a tragedy that later sparked disputes over his estate.
The publication noted that foreign investors have historically used offshore jurisdictions such as Jersey, alongside shell companies, to acquire properties in London while concealing ownership details.
It added that the use of such structures enabled beneficial owners to remain anonymous for years until regulatory reforms were introduced by the UK government in 2022.
The reforms mandated foreign property owners to disclose their identities through a public register, paving the way for the creation of a database by tax advocacy group, Tax Policy Associates.
Data from the database showed that John Corless topped the list with 246 properties, followed by Sarah Bard with 130, while Reuben ranked third with 129 properties. Wigwe, with 106 properties, was placed seventh on the list.
