Appeal Court Upholds Conviction of Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Robert Orya Over ₦2.4bn Fraud

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction of Robert Orya, a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), in a fraud case involving approximately ₦2.4 billion.

A three-member panel of the appellate court unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, affirming the judgment previously delivered by the Federal Capital Territory High Court in Abuja.

Court Dismisses Orya’s Appeal

Orya had approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn his conviction after the FCT High Court found him guilty in February 2026.

The appellate panel, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma and including Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, ruled against Orya on the issues raised in his appeal and affirmed the lower court’s judgment.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had arraigned the former NEXIM Bank chief in 2021 on 49 counts, including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance-fee fraud.

The allegations centred on the diversion of approximately ₦2.4 billion in NEXIM Bank funds through fraudulent loan transactions.

49 Counts and the Prison Sentence

On February 5, 2026, Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court found Orya guilty on all 49 counts.

He was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, producing a cumulative sentence of 490 years.

However, the court ordered all the sentences to run concurrently, meaning they are served at the same time rather than one after another. His effective prison term is therefore 10 years.

The Court of Appeal has now affirmed that judgment.

Fraud Allegations

During the case, prosecutors alleged that Orya used his position at NEXIM Bank to facilitate fraudulent loans.

Among the transactions presented in the case was an alleged ₦488 million payment to Treasure Mix Construction Limited under circumstances prosecutors said involved false representations.

The prosecution presented seven witnesses during a trial that lasted more than four years.

Former NEXIM Bank Chief

Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank from 2009 to 2016.

NEXIM Bank is a government-owned development finance institution established to support and finance Nigeria’s non-oil export sector.

The latest Court of Appeal judgment represents a significant setback for the former bank executive after his attempt to overturn the conviction.

The ruling also comes amid continued public attention on corruption, accountability and the management of public financial institutions in Nigeria.