{"id":95197,"date":"2025-06-28T20:39:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T18:39:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.digitalbusiness.africa\/?p=95197"},"modified":"2025-06-29T10:32:55","modified_gmt":"2025-06-29T09:32:55","slug":"meet-dr-george-elombi-the-cameroonian-now-heading-afreximbank-and-driving-its-digital-agenda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.digitalbusiness.africa\/en\/meet-dr-george-elombi-the-cameroonian-now-heading-afreximbank-and-driving-its-digital-agenda\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet\u00a0Dr. George Elombi, the Cameroonian Now Heading Afreximbank and Driving Its Digital Agenda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

[DIGITAL Business Africa] –<\/strong> Cameroonian national\u00a0Dr. George Elombi<\/strong>\u00a0was officially appointed President of the African Export\u2013Import Bank (Afreximbank<\/a>) on\u00a0Saturday, June 28, 2025<\/strong>\u00a0in Abuja, Nigeria. His selection was one of the key decisions taken at Afreximbank\u2019s 32nd Annual General Meeting and related events held in Abuja from June 25 to 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He succeeds Nigerian\u00a0Benedict Oramah<\/strong>, who led the institution for ten years (June 2015 \u2013 September 2025), and becomes the fourth president of this pan-African development bank founded in 1993 – following Nigeria\u2019s Christopher Edordu (1994\u20132005), C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire\u2019s Jean-Louis Ekra (2005\u20132015), and Oramah himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A crowning achievement for Dr. Elombi, who until now served as Afreximbank\u2019s Executive Vice-President for Corporate Governance & Legal Services and as its Secretary-General, after nearly three decades with the institution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI have worked alongside remarkable colleagues and extraordinary leaders to help shape this institution\u2019s vision, its mandate as well as its growth.\u00a0 As we look to the future, I see Afreximbank as a force for industrialising Africa and for re-gaining the dignity of Africans wherever they are.\u00a0 I will work to preserve this important asset<\/em>,\u201d he said immediately following his appointment. <\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Shareholders and his predecessor have set the ambitious goal of growing Afreximbank\u2019s balance sheet to\u00a0USD 250 billion<\/strong>\u00a0within ten years – a bank that in its first 32 years has already mobilized over USD 250 billion across Africa and supported industries long overlooked by traditional financiers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strong Mandate and Deep Trust<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Dr. Elombi\u2019s\u00a0commitment, loyalty and decades-long service<\/strong>\u00a0to the bank earned him shareholders\u2019 confidence. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cOur directors are pleased with the institution\u2019s financial strength and the relevance of its projects. They want us to continue on this trajectory and reaffirmed their attachment to the bank\u2019s founding principles. The many expressions of support throughout the week show these messages were fully embraced,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

By choosing someone so intimately familiar with Afreximbank – who has worked in perfect synergy with his predecessor – shareholders ensured continuity at a critical juncture for the bank\u2019s digital transformation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Strategic Appointment Rooted in Loyalty<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo recounted at the opening of these meetings how\u00a0Benedict Oramah<\/strong>\u00a0was first appointed in 2015 for his loyalty to then-Presidents of the bank. \u201cWhen Afreximbank was created, Egypt lobbied for its headquarters in Cairo, arguing it would never push for the presidency later. After Christopher Edordu left, Egyptians again lobbied for the post – and everyone almost agreed – until I said no,<\/em>\u201d Obasanjo explained. He recalled that when C\u00f4te d\u2019Ivoire\u2019s Jean-Louis Ekra was chosen, Egypt even refused him a visa, forcing him to run the bank from Abuja\u2019s Hilton hotels for five years – \u201cand only one person stood firm, with loyalty, dedication and total commitment: Oramah.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Similarly, Dr. Elombi\u2019s long collaboration with Oramah – in his role as Executive Vice-President for Corporate Governance & Legal Services and Secretary-General – proved decisive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His appointment followed a rigorous selection process initiated in January 2025, which included a global call for applications published in international media and on the Afreximbank website. Shortlisted candidates were interviewed by an international human resource executive search firm. The top candidates were presented to the Board of Directors, which recommended Dr. Elombi to the General Meeting of Shareholders for final approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Under the Afreximbank Charter, a president is appointed by the general meeting of shareholders upon the recommendation of the Board of Directors for a term of five years, renewable once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Distinguished Career<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

A Cameroonian national, Dr. George Elombi joined Afreximbank in 1996<\/strong> as a legal officer. Over almost 30 years, he rose through the ranks:<\/p>\n\n\n\n