Appeal court upholds 490-year jail term for Ex-NEXIM bank over ₦2.4bn fraud

The Court of Appeal, Abuja Division, has affirmed the conviction and 490-year imprisonment handed down to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Robert Orya, over a ₦2.4 billion fraud case.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, Abuja.

The panel also comprised Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.

Delivering the judgment on Tuesday, Justice Danjuma held that the appeal lacked merit after reviewing the briefs filed by counsel and the records of proceedings before the trial court.

The judge said all the issues raised by Orya in the appeal were resolved in favour of the respondent and against the appellant.

Justice Danjuma consequently dismissed the appeal and affirmed the judgment delivered by Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court on February 5, 2026, in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021.

Orya had been convicted and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on each of the 49 counts brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), bringing the cumulative sentence to 490 years.

However, the sentences are to run concurrently.

The former NEXIM Bank boss was arraigned by the EFCC in 2021 on a 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving approximately ₦2.4 billion.

At the trial court, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and found Orya guilty on all 49 counts.

Dissatisfied with the conviction and sentence, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the judgment. But the appellate court, after considering the grounds of appeal and the records of the lower court, found no basis to interfere with the conviction.

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 favour 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.”

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

He was first appointed to the position on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.