A new report has revealed that late Nigerian banking executive Herbert Wigwe was linked to the ownership of 106 properties in London, ranking him among the city’s most prominent foreign property holders.
The findings were published in a report by The Londoner titled “Revealed: The billionaires who really own London.” The investigation examined ownership records of more than 32,000 properties across the UK capital, uncovering the individuals and entities behind them.
Drawing on data compiled by British tax lawyer Dan Neidle and Tax Policy Associates, the report identified Wigwe as part of a group of overseas billionaires, corporations, investment firms, pension funds, and even foreign governments with significant real estate holdings in London. These properties include assets located in high-value areas such as Oxford Street.
According to the report, Wigwe ranked seventh among the largest foreign property owners in London, behind figures such as John Corless, Sarah Bard, Simon Reuben, Alexander Bard, Rit Thirakomen, and Wolfgang Peter Egger.
The investigation also highlighted that 2,224 of London’s most expensive and recognizable properties are registered to companies based in St Helier, a jurisdiction often described as a major tax haven.
The disclosures follow new regulations introduced by the UK government requiring overseas entities that own property in the country to declare their true beneficial owners in an official register.
Before his death in a helicopter crash in the United States on February 9, 2024, Wigwe served as the Group Chief Executive Officer of Access Holdings Plc.
The report adds to ongoing scrutiny of foreign ownership in London’s real estate market, particularly in prime districts where property values remain among the highest in the world.
