NEWS
Court of Appeal Upholds 490-Year Jail Sentence for Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Robert Orya
The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction and 490-year prison sentence handed down to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Robert Orya, over a ₦2.4 billion bank fraud case.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, delivered a unanimous judgment on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, dismissing Orya’s appeal and affirming the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.
Orya had been convicted on February 5, 2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri after the trial court found him guilty on all 49 counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
The charges bordered on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving approximately ₦2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the decision of the trial court, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the conviction and secure reprieve.
However, the appellate court found no merit in his arguments.
Justice Danjuma, who delivered the lead judgment alongside Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, said the panel had carefully considered the briefs filed by the parties and reviewed the records of proceedings from the lower court.
In dismissing the appeal, Justice Danjuma stated:
“I have considered all briefs filed by counsel and have gone through the record of the trial court and adopted it and the issues as formulated by this appellate court in resolving this appeal.
“I looked at each and every issue and in my final analysis, all the issues formulated for the determination of this appeal are resolved in favor of the respondent and against the appellant.
“This appeal is devoid of any merit and is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory delivered on February 5, 2026 in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021 is hereby affirmed.”
The ruling leaves the conviction and sentence imposed by the FCT High Court intact.
The case dates back to 2021, when the EFCC arraigned Orya on a 49-count charge arising from alleged financial crimes involving the handling of funds.
Following a full trial, Justice Messiri ruled that the prosecution had established its case beyond every reasonable doubt.
The former NEXIM Bank chief was consequently found guilty on all 49 counts and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on each count.
Although the individual sentences amount to a cumulative 490 years, the court ordered that they should run concurrently.
Orya occupied the position of Managing Director of NEXIM Bank from 2009 to 2016, during a period when the bank played a key role in supporting Nigeria’s export financing and efforts to diversify the economy beyond oil.
He was first appointed Managing Director of NEXIM Bank on August 14, 2009, by the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.
He was subsequently reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014, before leaving the position in 2016.
With the Court of Appeal affirming the February 2026 judgment, Orya’s challenge at the appellate level has suffered a major setback, leaving his conviction on all 49 counts standing.