Appeal Court Affirms Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Orya’s 490-Year Jail Term Over N2.4bn Fraud

Appeal Court Affirms Ex-NEXIM Bank MD Orya’s 490-Year Jail Term Over N2.4bn Fraud

By Umar Usman Duguri

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, affirmed the conviction and 490-year imprisonment handed down to former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), Robert Orya, over a N2.4 billion fraud case.

A three-member panel of the appellate court, led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, alongside Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche, unanimously dismissed Orya’s appeal, upholding the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja.

Orya was convicted and sentenced on February 5, 2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri after the 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 N2.4 billion.

Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn his conviction and sentence.

However, delivering the lead judgment on Tuesday, Justice Danjuma held that the appeal lacked merit after considering the briefs filed by counsel and reviewing the record of proceedings before the trial court.

The judge 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 No. FSC/SC/CS/487/2021 is hereby affirmed.”

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

The court imposed a sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, amounting to 490 years. The sentences, however, are to run concurrently.

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 Musa Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.

The Court of Appeal’s decision therefore leaves the February 5, 2026 conviction and sentence intact.