Ex‑NEXIM Bank MD, Robert Orya, Sentenced to 490 Years over N2.4Bn Fraud

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Feb 5, 2026 #Abuja High Court, #EFCC prosecution, #financial crime Nigeria, #N2.4 billion fraud conviction, #NEXIM Bank fraud, #Nigerian Export‑Import Bank, #Robert Orya sentence

Pat Stevens/

A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has sentenced Robert Orya, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export‑Import Bank (NEXIM), to a total of 490 years’ imprisonment after his conviction in a N2.4 billion fraud case, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has confirmed.

Justice F. E. Messiri of the Abuja High Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, following the commission’s successful prosecution.

Orya, who led NEXIM between 2011 and 2016, was convicted on all 49 counts of fraud and related charges, with the judge imposing 10 years’ imprisonment for each count.

The EFCC, through its prosecution counsel, Samuel Ugwuegbulam, presented evidence that led to the conviction.

The charges stemmed from allegations that Orya abused his position to misappropriate funds and engage in corrupt practices while at the helm of the development finance institution.

NEXIM Bank, established to support and finance non‑oil export activities in Nigeria, has since been at the centre of legal scrutiny following the EFCC’s longstanding investigation into its operations under Orya’s leadership.

He was first arraigned on a multi‑count indictment years earlier, facing allegations that included criminal breach of trust, impersonation, misappropriation and abuse of office.