Appeal Court Upholds 490-Year Sentence for Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Robert Orya Over ₦2.4bn Fraud

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

A three-member panel led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal, holding that it lacked merit and affirming the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court delivered on February 5, 2026. The other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.

Orya was originally convicted by Justice F.E. Messiri after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) prosecuted him on a 49-count charge involving obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud.

The trial court found him guilty on all 49 counts and sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 490 years. However, the sentences were ordered to run concurrently.

This means Orya will not spend 490 years behind bars. Because the sentences run concurrently, the effective prison term is 10 years, subject to applicable law and any further legal developments.

The EFCC had alleged that Orya abused his position as NEXIM Bank managing director in connection with loans obtained through companies and documentation that the prosecution said involved false representations and forged information. The case was initially filed in 2021.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn both his conviction and sentence. But in its ruling delivered on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, the appellate court rejected the appeal.

Justice Danjuma said the panel had considered the briefs filed by the parties and reviewed the record of the trial court before resolving the issues raised in the appeal against Orya.

The appellate court consequently affirmed the February 5 judgment of the FCT High Court, bringing another stage of the long-running case to a close.

Orya served as NEXIM Bank’s managing director from 2009 to 2016. He was appointed to the position in August 2009 by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed in 2014 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

The case is one of the high-profile financial-crime convictions secured by the EFCC, particularly because it involves a former head of a federal financial institution and a substantial financial claim.