A Nigerian, Benedict Oramah, has been appointed president of the African Export-Import Bank,
Afreximbank. Afreximbank is the continental multilateral trade
finance institution and Mr. Oramah is the third president to serve the bank since it was established in 1993.
He holds a doctorate degree in Agricultural Economics and replaces the former President, Jean-Louis Ekra, who had been the bank’s chief
executive officer since 2005.
Christopher Edordu was the pioneer president of the bank. The appointment of the Nigerian was one of the key decisions taken during the bank’s 22nd
Annual General Meeting of shareholders which
took place in Lusaka, Republic of Zambia.
Before his elevation, Mr. Oramah served the bank
as Executive Vice President, Business
Development and Corporate Banking.
He joined the bank as a pioneer staff in 1994 and
rose from the position of chief analyst to senior
director, planning and business development
department in 2007.
He previously served as Assistant Manager
(Research) at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank
from 1992 to 1994.
While accepting the appointment, Mr. Oramah
said shareholders should leave the AGM confident
that they had made the right decision, explaining,
“I may not be a shareholder of your bank, but my
interests in the bank are fully aligned with yours”.
“I have invested most of my adult life in your
bank. I made important contributions in the
establishment and development of the bank so I
have a vested interest in its survival and growth,”
he said.
“Your bank exposed me to the world; and above
all, about two years ago, your bank saved my life.
So there can be no sacrifice too great for me to
make for your bank. I step into the new role with
courage and loyalty founded on these facts.”
He promised to continue to pursue the policy of
inclusiveness started by his predecessors and to
support all shareholders, big and small, pointing
out that he would use the lessons of history to
shape the vision for tomorrow.
Mr. Oramah completed his advanced education at
the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, where he
obtained a M.Sc. and a Ph.D. in Agricultural
Economics in 1987 and 1991 respectively.
He received a B.Sc. also in agricultural economics
from the University of Ibadan in 1983.
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