Wale Tinubu, the Group Chief Executive of Oando Group, has extoled Professor Benedict Oramah GCON as he official bowed out as President and Chairman of the Board of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) after a decade of groundbreaking leadership that redefined the trajectory of African trade, finance, and economic integration.
Tinubu through his media office sent a tribute to the Prof. Oramah who he described as a rare gem, a son of the soil, and a catalyst for change, who stands as living evidence of what Africans can achieve when we come together; resilient, united, and bold.
‘’Today, we celebrate the end of an era and the beginning of a new one.
For over a decade, Prof. Benedict Oramah GCON has stood as a beacon of visionary leadership, proving that belief in Africa’s potential is not idealism, but a deliberate act of strategy and faith in the continent’s promise.
In 2015, he set out to transform Afreximbank into the engine room for Africa’s progress, driving African-led solutions, bold integration, and a shared pursuit of self-reliance. Through his leadership, the Bank became more than a financial institution; it became a catalyst for trade, innovation, and opportunity across borders.
He led from the front, actively involved in every initiative he championed; from empowering African enterprises to building institutions designed to impact and outlive us. His journey reflects a legacy of vision and action, and his impact, a testament to what’s possible when conviction meets purpose.
A rare gem, a son of the soil, and a catalyst for change, Prof. Oramah stands as living evidence of what Africans can achieve when we come together; resilient, united, and bold.
Thank you, Prof. Oramah, for showing us that leadership is not about position, but about purpose, progress, and people. You leave behind a legacy of impact that will continue to power Africa’s growth story’’ He stated.
Under Prof Oramah’s stewardship, Afreximbank assets grew beyond $30 billion, Afreximbank launched PAPSS to enable local-currency trade, initiated the African Medical Centre of Excellence in Abuja, created CANEX and the Intra-African Trade Fair, and established the AFCFTA Adjustment Fund with $1 billion in seed capital.
