London, United Kingdom – Late Nigerian banking tycoon Herbert Onyewumbu Wigwe is linked to 106 luxury properties in London, according to an investigation by The Londoner. The report ranks him 7th among holders of prime London real estate by unit count.
Okay News reports that the analysis used newly released UK data on overseas ownership of real estate, including information from the 2022 law that requires foreign entities to disclose beneficial owners. Wigwe’s extensive portfolio highlights how a single individual can build large‑scale control over parts of London’s high‑value property market.
The study lists John Corless as the top owner with 246 properties, followed by several individuals with over 100 units each. Wigwe’s 106 holdings place him ahead of powerful entities such as the Private Department of the President of the United Arab Emirates and the Washington State Investment Board. Many of the properties are held through offshore companies in places like Jersey, Guernsey, and the British Virgin Islands, which have historically obscured ownership.
Such offshore structures remain legal but have become more transparent since the UK’s overseas entity register took effect. The Londoner’s dataset covers 32,611 London properties owned by overseas entities, several of whose owners are only now becoming visible. Wigwe’s case is notable for the value and scale of the stakes he reportedly held in prime locations.
Herbert Wigwe was the founding group managing director and chief executive officer of Access Bank Plc. He died, along with his wife and son, in a helicopter crash in February 2024 in the United States. His portfolio in London adds to the wider picture of how Nigerian and other African investors are increasingly shaping international real estate markets.
