By Daniel Oluwatobiloba Popoola
A Federal Capital Territory High Court has sentenced a former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank, Robert Orya, to 490 years imprisonment for defrauding the bank of N2.4 billion.
The conviction was delivered on Thursday, 5 February,2026, by Justice F.E. Messiri, who found Orya guilty on all 49 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
Orya, who headed NEXIM Bank between 2011 and 2016, was prosecuted by the EFCC through its counsel, Samuel Ugwuegbulam, over allegations bordering on financial mismanagement and embezzlement of public funds amounting to N2.4 billion.
In her judgment, Justice Messiri sentenced the former bank chief to 10 years imprisonment on each of the 49 counts. The sentences cumulatively amount to 490 years in prison.
The EFCC described the judgment as a significant milestone in its anti-corruption campaign, stating that the conviction reinforces the agency’s resolve to ensure accountability in the management of public resources.
According to the commission, the outcome of the case underscores the principle that public officials entrusted with national assets must be held responsible for any abuse of office.
Orya’s conviction adds to a growing list of high-profile prosecutions involving financial misconduct within Nigeria’s banking and public sectors.
The EFCC maintained that the ruling sends a strong message that no individual, regardless of status or former office, is above the law.
