Chizoba Wigwe (born July 12, 1967 – February 9, 2024) was a Nigerian lawyer, entrepreneur, and philanthropist. She was the founder and CEO of Craneburg Construction LTD, a prominent Nigerian building and construction company. Chizoba Wigwe was also well-known as the wife and backbone of Herbert Wigwe, Access Bank‘s co-founder and previous CEO.
Chizoba Wigwe Biography
Doreen Chizoba Wigwe was born on July 12, 1967, to the Late Chief Cyprian Chukwuemeka Nwuba and Mrs. Nwuba. She is a Nigerian by birth because she was born in a prestigious private hospital on Lagos Mainland, Lagos State.
Her parents are Nigerian. She is an Igbo woman originally from Achina in Anambra State. Chizoba Wigwe’s father, Chief Cyprian Chukwuemeka Nwuba, was a chartered accountant who worked as the African Financial Controller for Shell Petroleum Development Company. Chief Nwuba eventually rose to the position of Group General Manager of Finance and Accounts at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation. Her mother was a civil servant in the Education Ministry.
During her childhood, Doreen Chizoba Wigwe and her mother, Mrs. Nwuba, moved to the United States. She spent her early years there with her mother. Doreen completed her elementary and high school education in the United States. She decided to pursue a university education in the United States before returning to Nigeria.
Doreen Chizoba Wigwe attended top public schools for her elementary, middle, and high school education. After graduating from high school, she chose to follow her long-held passion for becoming an attorney. As a result, she enrolled in a law degree program at one of America’s top colleges. After four years of study, she received a bachelor’s degree in law.
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Career
Chizoba Wigwe returned to Nigeria and continued her legal education at the Nigerian Law School, where she spent a year before being admitted to the Nigerian bar. With her law license, Doreen entered the Nigerian legal arena, quickly established herself as a solicitor and litigator. She has lent her skills to a number of Nigeria’s prominent and developing companies, focusing on corporate law, commercial litigation, and arbitration.
Chizoba Wigwe’s career in law took off when she joined Access Bank’s legal board while also pursuing more studies. She received a master’s degree in International Law from the University of London, which expanded her legal knowledge and talents.
Despite her interest in the law, Doreen had a strong entrepreneurial streak. In addition to her law career, she pursued wholesale commerce and was quite successful. Inspired by her adventurous attitude, she entered the building sector, establishing Craneburg Building in 2009, an indigenous firm based in Ikoyi, Lagos.
Craneburg Construction rose quickly to prominence under the visionary direction of Chizoba Wigwe, eventually becoming one of Nigeria’s premier construction businesses. Under her leadership, the company has played a critical part in the country’s infrastructural development, producing thousands of job opportunities across a variety of industries. Notable projects include the construction of buildings, expressways, and bridges, as well as the renowned Wigwe Mansion in Ikoyi, Lagos, which demonstrates Doreen’s construction skills.
Aside from her professional endeavors, Chizoba Wigwe was a strong supporter of her husband, Herbert Wigwe, a notable player in Nigeria’s banking sector. Herbert credits her steadfast support for his accomplishment, emphasizing her critical part in his professional trajectory. Doreen’s humanitarian actions reinforced her legacy by consistently supporting initiatives to empower girls, financially disadvantaged women, and low-income families throughout Nigeria.
Personal Life
In the early 1990s, Chizoba Wigwe became good friends with Herbert Wigwe. Herbert was the General Manager of Guaranty Trust Bank at the time. The couple quickly fell in love and dated for some time before deciding to formally marry. When they decided to start a family in 1994, Doreen Nwuba took the name Chizoba Wigwe.
Chizoba Wigwe fell pregnant with their first child shortly after they married, and he was born in January 1995. The Wigwes’ first child is a son named Chizi Wigwe. The couple’s union produced three more children: Tochi Wigwe, David Wigwe, and Hannah Wigwe.
Despite her hectic schedule as a lawyer and entrepreneur, Chizoba Wigwe made enough time for her family. She was a devoted mother who was always available for her children. She and her family lived in Ikoyi, Lagos. She and her spouse had several properties around the world. Unlike other wealthy women of her level, she preferred to maintain a low profile and was not active on social media.
On February 9, 2024, the world was shocked to learn of Chizoba Wigwe’s death. She died in a helicopter crash with her husband Herbert Wigwe, first son Chizi Wigwe, and family friend Abimbola Ogunbanjo. The helicopter’s two crew members were also killed in the tragic crash. Chizoba Wigwe’s bones were interred beside her husband and child on March 9, 2024.
Net Worth
Doreen Chizoba Wigwe was a very successful lawyer and entrepreneur. She had accumulated a fortune through her legal career and business investments. At the time of her death, her net worth was believed to be between $10 million and $15 million (USD).