President William Ruto has appointed Benedict Okey Oramah as an independent member of the Governing Council of the National Infrastructure Fund (NIF).
The appointment was made on 1 April 2026 and is for a three‑year term. Oramah will serve on the seven‑member council, chaired by National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.
The council will oversee the establishment and running of the National Infrastructure Fund, which is expected to finance key infrastructure projects in Kenya.
Oramah brings over three decades of experience in trade and development banking across Africa, having spent much of his career in export‑import finance.
Benedict Oramah Education Background
Benedict Oramah studied agricultural economics, a field that later shaped his work in trade and finance, earning a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Ibadan in 1983. He later obtained a Master’s degree in 1987 and a Doctorate degree in 1991 from Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile‑Ife.
He also completed an advanced management program at Columbia Business School in New York, United States.
In 2018, Adeleke University awarded him the title of Professor of International Trade and Finance. He has also received honorary doctorate degrees from Obafemi Awolowo University in 2019 and from Nnamdi Azikiwe University.
Also Read: Profile of David Keter Dollarline Eyeing Emurua Dikirr MP Seat for the Fourth Time
Career
Benedict Oramah began his professional career at the Nigerian Export-Import Bank (NEXIM), where he worked as an Assistant Manager in research from 1992 to 1994.
In March 1994, he joined the African Export‑Import Bank (Afreximbank) as a Chief Analyst, becoming one of the bank’s early staff members. Over the years, he rose through several senior positions, including Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Director of Planning and Business Development, and Senior Director.
From 2008 to 2015, he served as Executive Vice President for Business Development and Corporate Banking. During this time, he also supervised the bank’s research and strategy work.
On 21 September 2015, shareholders elected him as the third President and Chairman of the Board of Directors of Afreximbank. He was elected in 2020 and served until 25 October 2025, completing two five‑year terms. He was succeeded by Dr. George Elombi.
Under the leadership of Benedict Oramah, Afreximbank expanded, with assets growing from about $5–6 billion in 2015 to between $37 billion and $43.5 billion by 2023–2025.
Between 2016 and 2022, the bank disbursed more than $86 billion to support African trade and provided financing during the COVID‑19 pandemic and other global economic challenges.
Several Africa‑wide initiatives were launched or expanded during his time as president. These include the Pan-African Payment and Settlement System (PAPSS), the Fund for Export Development in Africa (FEDA), the African Medical Center of Excellence (AMCE), the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF), and the Creative African Nexus (CANEX).
Many of these initiatives support trade under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
After leaving Afreximbank, Oramah became Chairman of the Board of both FEDA and the African Medical Center of Excellence. He also serves on several boards and advisory bodies in Africa and internationally.
Also Read: Who is Moses Budamba, Mudavadi’s Eldest Son Eyeing Westlands Seat
Oramah’s Early Life and Family Life
Benedict Oramah was born on 24 July 1961 in Ahoada, in present‑day Rivers State, in Nigeria’s Niger Delta region. He is originally from Nnokwa, in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He is currently 64.
He is the youngest of four children born to Chief Lazarus A. Oramah and Francisca U. Oramah. He attended Merchants of Light School in Oba, near Onitsha in Anambra State, for his secondary education.
Oramah is married to Chinelo Oramah, who has served as Matron of the Afreximbank Spouse Network (ASNET). They have three daughters.
One of their daughters, Adaora Oramah, married Dirichi Ike‑Njoku in Abuja in December 2025. The ceremony was attended by prominent Nigerians, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Peter Obi. Other aspects of the family’s private life remain outside the public eye.
Achievements and Honors
In 2025, Benedict Oramah was awarded the Grand Commander of the Order of the Niger (GCON), Nigeria’s second‑highest national honor. He had earlier received the Commander of the Order of the Niger (CON).
He has also received national honors from Cameroon, Congo, Russia, Barbados, Chad, Gabon, and Guinea‑Bissau.
His awards include Forbes Africa Person of the Year (2023), African Banker of the Year in 2017 and 2022, and CNBC Africa Business Leader of the Year (2023).
He has also received the Africa House Leadership Award from New York University in 2018 and the Mohammed S. Barkindo Lifetime Achievement Award in 2024.
Oramah has written several books and research papers on African trade and finance, including A Path to Making Africa Great Again and Foundations of Structured Trade Finance.
He has also written widely on Nigeria’s non‑oil exports and African trade. He has appeared several times on lists of Africa’s most influential people published by New African and Jeune Afrique.
His appointment adds a seasoned development finance expert to Kenya’s National Infrastructure Fund as the country moves to fund and deliver infrastructure projects.
