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The Court of Appeal in Abuja has affirmed the conviction and 490-year jail term imposed on a former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank, NEXIM Bank, Robert Orya, over a N2.4 billion fraud case.
Justice Muhammed Danjuma, leading a three-member panel of the appellate court, delivered the unanimous judgment on Tuesday, September 8, 2026.
Other members of the panel were Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche.
Orya was convicted and sentenced by Justice F.E. Messiri of the Federal Capital Territory High Court, Abuja, on February 5, 2026, after he was found guilty on all 49 counts filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.
The EFCC had arraigned Orya in 2021 on charges bordering on obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud involving N2.4 billion.
Dissatisfied with the judgment, Orya approached the Court of Appeal seeking to overturn the conviction and sentence.
In its judgment on Tuesday, the appellate court held that the issues raised in the appeal were resolved in favour of the EFCC and against Orya.
The court subsequently dismissed the appeal for lacking merit and affirmed the judgment of the FCT High Court delivered on February 5, 2026, in charge number FSC/SC/CS/487/2021.
The trial court had earlier held that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt and convicted Orya on all 49 counts.
Justice Messiri sentenced him to 10 years imprisonment on each of the 49 counts, amounting to 490 years. The sentences are, however, to run concurrently.
Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016.
He was first appointed to the position on August 14, 2009, by the late President Umaru Yar’Adua and was reappointed by former President Goodluck Jonathan on August 18, 2014.
