The President and Chief Executive Officer of the Regional Maritime Development Bank (RMDB), Niran Aderogba, has commended the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) pivotal role under Prof. Benedict Oramah’s leadership in promoting intra-African trade, supporting industrialisation, and advancing strategic continental initiatives such as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

Aderogba gave the commendation recently while speaking with journalists on the sidelines of a send-off dinner held in honour of Oramah in Cairo, Egypt, describing him as a “visionary builder, bridge-maker, and catalyst for Africa’s economic renaissance” during his tenure as President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank from 2015 to 2025.

“Oramah’s decade at the helm of Afreximbank has been nothing short of transformative. He has not only strengthened Africa’s trade financing architecture but also inspired a generation of African institutions to think boldly, collaborate deeply, and act strategically for the continent’s prosperity,” Aderogba stated.

Aderogba noted that, having worked closely with the bank for almost three decades, both institutions jointly engaged in groundbreaking, innovative, and bold financing structures for the economic emancipation of the African continent.

He said Afreximbank, whose first financing deal in Nigeria was valued at $10 million, now undertakes transactions running into billions of dollars — a remarkable milestone that underscores the bank’s growing impact in advancing economic development across the African continent.

He highlighted key sectors impacted by Afreximbank’s interventions to include maritime, telecommunications, the financial sector, hospitality, oil and gas and transportation, among others.