The Court of Appeal in Abuja has upheld the conviction and 490-year sentence imposed on former NEXIM Bank boss Robert Orya over a N2.4bn fraud case
N2.4bn Fraud: Court Upholds 490-Year Jail Term Against Ex-NEXIM Bank Boss Orya
The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has dealt a fresh blow to former Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank) Managing Director, Robert Orya, affirming his conviction and 490-year prison sentence over a N2.4 billion fraud case.
A three-member panel of the appellate court, in a unanimous judgment delivered on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, dismissed Orya’s appeal and upheld the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, which convicted him on all 49 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The panel was led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma, with Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche as members.
Orya had appealed against the judgment of Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court, who convicted him on February 5, 2026, after finding him guilty of the 49-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud.
The charges arose from allegations involving transactions valued at approximately N2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the verdict, the former NEXIM Bank chief approached the Court of Appeal, asking the appellate court to set aside both his conviction and sentence.
However, after considering the arguments of counsel and examining the records of proceedings from the trial court, the appellate panel held that the appeal lacked merit.
Delivering the lead judgment, Justice Danjuma said the court had carefully considered the issues raised by Orya and resolved them in favour of the EFCC.
The court consequently dismissed the appeal and affirmed the February 5, 2026 judgment of the FCT High Court in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021.
At the trial court, Justice Messiri held that the prosecution had established its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Orya on all 49 counts.
The judge sentenced him to 10 years’ imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 490 years.
However, the individual terms are to run concurrently, meaning the 490-year figure represents the aggregate of the sentences rather than 49 consecutive terms to be served one after another.
The EFCC had filed the case in 2021 following an investigation into alleged financial offences linked to Orya’s activities while he was Managing Director of NEXIM Bank.
Orya was appointed Managing Director of NEXIM Bank on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and was reappointed to the position on August 18, 2014, by former President Goodluck Jonathan.
His tenure at the export-import bank ended in 2016.
The Court of Appeal’s unanimous decision leaves the former bank chief facing another major legal setback after his attempt to overturn the trial court’s conviction failed.
With the dismissal of the appeal, the judgment delivered by the FCT High Court on February 5, 2026, remains in force.
