The Federal Capital Territory High Court has convicted Robert Orya, former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), for fraud totaling about N2.4 billion.
This was confirmed in a statement by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 5, 2026.
The conviction highlights the ongoing efforts by authorities to hold senior executives accountable for financial crimes in Nigeria.
What EFCC said
According to the EFCC, Orya was prosecuted by the commission’s Samuel Ugwuegbulam and convicted by Justice F.E. Messiri of the FCT High Court, Abuja.
- The first count of the charge reads: “That you Mr Roberts Orya while being the Managing Director of Nigerian Export- Import Bank(NEXIM BANK) on or about the 21st day of September 2011 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud induced Nigerian Export-lmport Bank to pay to Treasuremix Contruction Limited the sum of Four Hundred and Eighty Eight Million Naira (N488,000,000) as loan under the pretence that the Directors of Luxurium Leisure Services Limited applied for and are the beneficiaries of the said loan which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to section 1(1)(b) of the Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
- Count two similarly states: “That you Mr Roberts Orya while being the Managing Director of Nigerian Export- Import Bank (NEXIM BANK) on or about the 19th February 2013 in Abuja within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, with intent to defraud induced Nigerian Export-Import Bank to pay to Treasuremix Construction Limited the sum of Six Hundred and Thirty Million Naira (N630,000,000) as loan under the pretence that the Directors of Luxurium Leisure Services Limited applied for and are the beneficiaries of the said loan, which pretence you knew was false and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 1(1) (b) of Advance Fee Fraud and Other Fraud Related And Other Related Offences Act 2006 and punishable under Section 1(3) of the same Act.”
Backstory
Robert Orya served as the managing director and chief executive officer of the Nigerian Export‑Import Bank from August 2009 until February 2016.
- He was first appointed to lead NEXIM Bank on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and later reappointed on August 18, 2014, by former President Goodluck Jonathan to continue in the role. Born in Ugwe, Benue State, Orya built a long career in banking and finance before joining NEXIM Bank.
- The case against him began when the EFCC launched an investigation into alleged financial misconduct during his tenure as NEXIM Bank boss. He was arraigned in 2021 by the commission on a 49-count charge, bordering on obtaining money by false pretences and forgery.
More details
Orya had pleaded “not guilty” to the charges, leading to a trial that included testimonies from seven prosecution witnesses. According to the EFCC, their evidence “strongly established the defendant’s guilt.”
- Justice Messiri held that “the prosecution proved its case beyond every reasonable doubt” and found Orya guilty on all counts.
- He was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment per count, totaling 490 years. The court, however, ordered the sentences to run concurrently.
What you should know
The EFCC’s action against Robert Orya is part of a broader pattern of high-profile cases involving alleged misuse of public office and funds in Nigeria’s public sector.
- In March 2025, the anti-graft agency arraigned six officials of the Kwara State Universal Basic Education Board on multiple counts of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of public funds worth tens of millions of naira, reflecting ongoing scrutiny of public officials entrusted with government resources.
- Beyond that, the EFCC in late 2025 arraigned the commandant and finance director of the Nigeria Peace Corps on charges of misappropriating over N60 million meant for operational supplies, highlighting continued investigations into alleged corruption within government agencies.
- Another recent case saw the agency arraign a former chair of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund on allegations of converting and laundering about N1 billion in funds, underlining sustained enforcement of financial crime laws against senior public office holders.
- BFI Group Corporation and six others were arraigned before a Federal Capital Territory High Court for an alleged attempt to defraud the Central Bank of Nigeria of €100 million through a fake Certificate of Capital Importation, showing that fraud prosecutions extend beyond public servants to include corporate actors.
