Afreximbank’s shareholders appointed Dr. George Elombi as the new President and Chairman of the Board. He will be the fourth person to lead the Bank since its inception in 1993. The announcement came during the 32nd Annual Meetings held in Abuja, Nigeria, culminating in the official approval during the general shareholders’ meeting on June 28, 2025. Dr. Elombi will succeed Professor Benedict Oramah, who has served in the role since 2015 and plans to step down in September 2025.
Dr. Elombi, a Cameroonian national, joined Afreximbank in 1996 as a Legal Officer. Over the years, he steadily progressed to become the Executive Vice President overseeing Governance, Legal, and Corporate Services. His experience spans several strategic roles, including Executive Secretary and Director, Deputy Director of Legal Services, Chief Legal Officer, and Senior Legal Officer.
Before joining the Bank, he lectured in law at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. He played a central role in shaping the structure of the Afreximbank Group and establishing several subsidiaries that enhanced its operational reach. As Chair of the Emergency Response Committee, he led the Bank’s pandemic response, securing over $2 billion for vaccine procurement and distribution across Africa and the Caribbean. Under his leadership in equity mobilisation and investor relations, the Bank raised $3.6 billion in ordinary equity as of April 2025.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Elombi reaffirmed his dedication to advancing the Bank’s mission. He emphasized Afreximbank’s role in driving Africa’s industrialisation and restoring dignity to its people, pledging to protect and strengthen the institution’s legacy. He committed to working towards the shareholders’ vision of transforming the Bank into a $250 billion institution within a decade.
Dr. Elombi holds a Master of Laws and a Ph.D. in commercial arbitration from the London School of Economics, University of London, as well as a Maitrise-en-Droit from the University of Yaoundé. His selection followed a competitive global process launched in January 2025, which involved public calls for applications, a thorough review by an international executive search firm, and final approval by the General Meeting of Shareholders upon recommendation from the Board of Directors. According to the Bank’s charter, the president serves a five-year term, renewable once, upon shareholder approval.
source : www.afreximbank.com
