A major new investigation by The Londoner, drawing on data from Tax Policy Associates, has lifted the veil on who really owns London’s prime real estate. And there are allegations of late Access Bank CEO, Herbert Wigwe, owning 106 London properties.
Using Britain’s post-Brexit beneficial ownership register for overseas entities, the report identifies 32,611 London properties controlled by foreign owners, many of which are hidden behind shell companies in tax havens.
The findings are eye-opening. A single block on Oxford Street (484–504) is owned by the sanctioned Libyan Investment Authority, now home to a touristy “Wizards and Spells” shop filled with knock-off Harry Potter merchandise and Dobby dolls. 
Other stretches of the famous shopping street, along with sites in Camden Market and luxury towers, trace back to the Private Department of the President of the UAE, the Qatar Central Bank, and various Gulf institutions.
The report underscores a long-running criticism: London has become a safe-deposit box for global wealth, often with limited transparency or local benefit.
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The Herbert Wigwe Claims
After the report dropped, a Nigerian posted on X information of claims that the late Access Bank CEO Herbert Wigwe was linked to 106 London properties, more than several high-profile sovereign wealth funds and billionaires.
“This report shows Herbert Wigwe is one of the top 10 biggest property owners in London, with 106 properties, even more than the Qatari & Washington Investment Authority or any other popular fund you know. It’s either HW was also fronting for Nigeria’s opaque billionaires or it became an obsessive or greedy quest for property acquisition,” he said.
In response to the post, someone said, “This narrative is wicked, a smear to his legacy.”
“A businessman having properties is now a problem?” someone else asked.
Herbert Wigwe, who died in a helicopter crash in February 2024, did have a documented UK connection. He was also a director of Access Bank UK.
The investigation into the Londoner revealed the extent of his connections to London, particularly shedding light his involvement with ultra-prime residential properties.
Previous UK company records had already identified him as linked to an address on The Bishops Avenue, a known elite residential area. He was recorded in 2012 as a director of Carmel Gate Ltd, with a correspondence address at Flat 7, Allingham Court, 44 The Bishops Avenue.
However, the latest findings show that his property ties in London are more extensive than previously documented.
The investigation does not allege that he committed crimes or wrongdoing, what the data does show, however, is how complex and opaque property ownership in London has become.
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