Afreximbank boss hailed as billions change hands
The head of the Regional Maritime Development Bank praised Benedict Oramah for a decade of leadership that reshaped African trade finance and economic growth. Niran Aderogba spoke to reporters following a farewell event in Cairo for the outgoing Afreximbank president, calling him a visionary who encouraged African institutions to pursue ambitious strategies for continental advancement.
Aderogba said his bank collaborated with Afreximbank for nearly 30 years on financing structures that supported Africa’s economic progress. The institution expanded from a $10 million initial transaction in Nigeria to deals worth billions of dollars, demonstrating its rising influence across telecommunications, finance, hospitality, energy and transport sectors. Under Oramah’s guidance from 2015 to 2025, the bank promoted trade within Africa and backed industrialization efforts aligned with the African Continental Free Trade Area.
The RMDB chief executive expressed enthusiasm about working with incoming president George Elombi, whom he has known for three decades and described as embodying the bank’s action-oriented culture. The Cairo gathering brought together African finance representatives, government officials and business leaders who honored Oramah’s contributions to the continent’s economic transformation.
