A Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday, February 5, 2026, sentenced former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export‑Import Bank (NEXIM), Robert Orya, to a combined 490 years in prison for defrauding the bank of ₦2.4 billion.
Justice F.E. Messiri delivered the verdict after finding Orya guilty on 49 separate counts of fraud, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of funds, and abuse of office.
The court ordered the sentences to run concurrently, each count carried a 10‑year prison term, which cumulatively totaled 490 years.
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The court heard that Orya, who led NEXIM from 2011 to 2016, misused his position to divert bank funds through improper transactions, including issuing loans to companies under his influence without proper due diligence.
The charges highlighted a pattern of financial misconduct that exploited his authority for personal gain.
The sentence, one of the longest in Nigeria’s corporate corruption history, underscores the judiciary’s commitment to holding senior officials accountable for financial crimes.
Orya’s legal team has announced plans to appeal the verdict, but the court’s ruling stands as a landmark in the fight against corruption in the banking sector.