Shock as former NGX boss dies in Chopper crash that killed Access Holdings CEO, Wigwe

As shock spreads throughout the African business community following the terrible death of prominent entrepreneur Herbert Wigwe, further information about other victims of the plane crash that claimed his life has emerged.

According to reports, Wigwe’s wife Chizoba and their two children’s names were on the manifest of the helicopter that crashed in California, United States, on Friday night (USA Time).

Another name on the manifest is Abimbola Ogunbanjo, the former Chairman of Nigerian Exchange Group Plc (NGX Group).

All are thought to have died with the pilot, but their remains have yet to be discovered.

The helicopter, which was transporting the crew from Los Angeles to Las Vegas to attend the Super Bowl, crashed Friday night in Nipton, between Nevada and California.

The United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed in a statement that everyone on board died.

The FAA said that no survivors had been recovered as of Saturday.

“We were made aware of a downed aircraft at approximately 10:12 p.m., on February 10, 2024. The scene of the crash was determined to be east of the 15-Freeway, near Halloran Springs Road,” the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

The FAA identified the helicopter as a Eurocopter EC 130.

The FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the cause of the crash at the time of filing this report.

Wigwe, the CEO of Pan-African financial group, Access Bank and Access Holdings, had recently delved into educational investment, founding the wave-making Wigwe University that just began operations. News of his death alongside other passengers has elicited widespread mourning across Nigeria, with tributes flooding cyberspace.