Abuja, Nigeria — A Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court in Abuja has convicted and sentenced Robert Orya, the former Managing Director of the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), to a total of 490 years’ imprisonment for a ₦2.4 billion fraud tied to his tenure at the bank.
Justice F. E. Messiri delivered the judgment on Thursday, February 5, 2026, following a prolonged trial brought by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). Orya was found guilty on 49 counts, including criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of funds, impersonation, official corruption, fraud and abuse of office.
Robert Orya
Under the ruling, the court sentenced Orya to 10 years’ imprisonment on each count, amounting to a cumulative 490 years, with the terms to run concurrently — meaning he is expected to serve 10 years in prison.
The EFCC first arraigned Orya before Justice Messiri on November 25, 2021, after accusing him of abusing his position as NEXIM’s managing director (2011–2016) to divert public funds for unlawful purposes.
Prosecutors led by EFCC counsel Samuel Ugwuebulam presented evidence alleging that Orya used his authority to obtain and disburse funds — including loans — through companies incorporated with fictitious names, such as Luxurium Leisure Services Limited, and induced NEXIM to make disbursements that remained unpaid.
According to the EFCC’s post-judgment statement, the offences involved the fraudulent diversion of about ₦2.4 billion belonging to the bank.
Orya pleaded not guilty throughout the trial, but the court ruled that the prosecution proved its case beyond reasonable doubt.
In its statement after the verdict, the EFCC said it would pursue asset recovery efforts to ensure that funds linked to the fraud are traced and returned to the bank or government, strengthening accountability for public resources. The anti-graft agency has often stressed in similar cases that financial investigations go beyond convictions to include tracing and forfeiture of proceeds of crime.
The sentence has sparked discussion among legal and governance observers in Nigeria, with many noting that the conviction reflects intensifying scrutiny of financial misconduct within major public institutions.
Some analysts stress that high-profile convictions like this may bolster public confidence in law enforcement efforts against economic crimes — while others note concerns about timely enforcement of restitution and asset recovery. Court experts also say the prosecution’s heavy reliance on documentary and witness evidence was critical to securing the verdict.
Legal experts say Orya’s defence team is expected to appeal the conviction and sentence, a common next step in major criminal cases. If the appellate court overturns or alters the decision, it could affect the length of the sentence. Meanwhile, the EFCC plans to use available legal tools to freeze, seize or forfeit assets tied to the fraud to mitigate losses suffered by the bank and the public purse.
