By 
The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the appointment of George Elombi as its new President and Chairman of the Board of Directors, marking a new chapter in the leadership of the continental trade finance institution.
Elombi’s appointment was ratified during the Bank’s 32nd Annual Meetings, held in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 25 to 28, 2025. He will officially assume office in September, succeeding Prof. Benedict Oramah, who has led Afreximbank since 2015 and will complete his tenure later this year.
A seasoned legal and corporate governance professional, Elombi brings nearly three decades of institutional experience, having joined Afreximbank in 1996 as a Legal Officer. Over the years, he has held several senior roles, including Executive Vice President in charge of Governance, Legal and Corporate Services; Director and Executive Secretary; and Chief Legal Officer.
His career has been closely intertwined with the Bank’s evolution. He played a central role in structuring the Afreximbank Group and launching key subsidiaries that have expanded the institution’s ability to support intra-African trade, industrialisation, and crisis response mechanisms. Notably, Elombi chaired the Emergency Response Committee during the COVID-19 pandemic, overseeing the mobilisation of over $2 billion for vaccine procurement and deployment across African and Caribbean countries.
Under his leadership, the Bank’s Equity Mobilisation and Investor Relations department raised $3.6 billion in ordinary equity as of April 2025, further strengthening Afreximbank’s financial resilience and strategic positioning.
Accepting his appointment, Elombi expressed gratitude for the confidence of shareholders and outlined an ambitious vision for the Bank’s future.
“I have worked alongside remarkable colleagues and extraordinary leaders to help shape this institution’s vision and mandate. As we look ahead, I see Afreximbank as a transformative force—catalysing industrialisation and restoring dignity across the African continent. I am committed to building on our achievements and working towards the aspiration of becoming a $250 billion bank within the next decade,” he stated.
A native of Cameroon, Elombi holds a Master of Laws (LL.M.) and a Ph.D. in commercial arbitration from the London School of Economics, University of London. He earned his Maitrise-en-Droit from the University of Yaoundé in 1989.
His appointment followed a transparent and competitive international search process, initiated in January 2025. The recruitment drive attracted candidates globally, with interviews conducted by a leading executive search firm. The Board of Directors submitted Elombi’s nomination to shareholders for final approval, in line with Afreximbank’s governance framework.
According to the Afreximbank Charter, the President is appointed for a five-year term, renewable once, based on the recommendation of the Board of Directors and approval by the General Meeting of Shareholders.
Elombi becomes the fourth individual to lead Afreximbank since its establishment in 1993 and is expected to build on his predecessor’s legacy while navigating the Bank through a new era of regional integration, trade finance expansion, and sustainable development across Africa.
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