The Court of Appeal dismissed Orya’s appeal and affirmed the February 2026 judgment of the FCT High Court.

The Court of Appeal sitting in Abuja has upheld the conviction and cumulative 490-year prison sentence imposed on former Managing Director of the Nigeria Export-Import Bank (NEXIM Bank), Robert Orya, over a ₦2.4 billion fraud case.

A three-member panel led by Justice Muhammed Danjuma unanimously dismissed Orya's appeal challenging the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory High Court.

Justices Ntong Festus Ntong and Ele Ejo Enenche were also members of the panel.

Orya was prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on a 49-count charge involving allegations including obtaining money by false pretences, forgery and advance fee fraud.

The alleged offences involved approximately ₦2.4 billion.

The FCT High Court, presided over by Justice F.E. Messiri, convicted Orya on all 49 counts on February 5, 2026.

The trial court subsequently sentenced him to 10 years' imprisonment on each count, resulting in a cumulative sentence of 490 years.

However, the sentences are to run concurrently. This means the 490-year figure is a cumulative total of the individual sentences and does not mean Orya will physically serve 490 consecutive years.

Dissatisfied with the decision, Orya appealed to the Court of Appeal, seeking to overturn both his conviction and sentence.

In its judgment delivered on Tuesday, the appellate court found no merit in the appeal and affirmed the judgment of the lower court.

Orya served as Managing Director of NEXIM Bank between 2009 and 2016. He was initially appointed in 2009 and was reappointed in 2014.

The decision represents another significant victory for the EFCC in its prosecution of high-profile financial crime cases.