Dr. George Elombi Appointed as New President of Afreximbank, Effective September 2025
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the appointment of Dr. George Elombi as its next President and Chairman of the Board of Directors. The decision was confirmed during the Bank’s 32nd Annual General Meeting held in Abuja, Nigeria. Dr. Elombi will officially assume the role in September 2025, becoming the fourth individual to lead the institution since its founding in 1993.
Dr. Elombi, a Cameroonian national, has served with Afreximbank since 1996, beginning his career as a Legal Officer. Over nearly three decades, he has advanced through several senior roles, most recently holding the position of Executive Vice President in charge of Governance, Legal, and Corporate Services. His long tenure has seen him contribute to the Bank’s structural development and lead major initiatives, including efforts to strengthen legal and institutional frameworks and manage crisis responses across Africa and the Caribbean.
In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Elombi expressed deep appreciation for the opportunity to serve and reaffirmed his commitment to the Bank’s mission.
“I see Afreximbank as a force for industrialising Africa and for regaining the dignity of Africans wherever they are,” he said. Emphasizing Afreximbank’s role in advancing African industrialisation and economic dignity. He also pledged to work toward the ambitious target of transforming the institution into a US$250 billion entity within a decade, a vision supported by the outgoing president.
The appointment followed an international recruitment process launched in January 2025, involving a global call for candidates and an assessment managed by an independent executive search firm. The final selection was made by the General Meeting of Shareholders based on recommendations from the Board of Directors, in accordance with the Bank’s charter.
Dr. Elombi succeeds Professor Benedict Oramah, who has led Afreximbank since 2015 and will step down in September. During his time at the Bank, Dr. Elombi has also served in multiple key capacities, including as Director and Executive Secretary, Chief Legal Officer, and Chair of the Emergency Response Committee. Under his leadership, the Bank mobilised over US$2 billion to support vaccine access during the COVID-19 pandemic and raised US$3.6 billion in equity by April 2025.
He holds a Master of Laws and a Ph.D. in commercial arbitration from the London School of Economics, along with a Maitrise-en-Droit from the University of Yaoundé. Before joining Afreximbank, he lectured in law at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom.
Dr. Elombi’s appointment is for a five-year term, renewable once, in line with the institution’s governance provisions.
