The African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank) has announced the appointment of Dr. George Elombi, a Cameroonian national, as its next President and Chairman of the Board of Directors. This significant leadership transition for the pan-African financial institution marks a new chapter, with Dr. Elombi officially taking office in September 2025. He will become the fourth president of Afreximbank since its founding in 1993, succeeding Professor Benedict Oramah, who has led the Bank since 2015.

Dr. Elombi’s appointment was formally confirmed during the 32nd Afreximbank Annual Meetings held in Abuja, Nigeria, from June 25 to 28, 2025, with the final approval taking place at the shareholders’ annual general meeting on Saturday, June 28, 2025. The selection process was rigorous and international, launched in January 2025. It involved a global call for applications, coordination by an international executive search firm, and ultimate approval by the General Meeting of Shareholders based on recommendations from the Board of Directors. According to the Afreximbank Charter, the president is appointed for a five-year term, which is renewable once.

A long-serving executive at Afreximbank, Dr. Elombi joined the institution in 1996 as a legal officer, accumulating nearly three decades of dedicated service. Throughout his tenure, he has held numerous senior roles, including Executive Vice President for Governance, Legal and Corporate Services; Director and Executive Secretary (2010–2015); Deputy Director of Legal Services (2008–2010); and Chief Legal Officer (2003–2008). Before his distinguished career at Afreximbank, he lectured law at the University of Hull in the United Kingdom. His academic credentials include a Ph.D. and a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in commercial arbitration from the London School of Economics, University of London, as well as a ‘Maitrise-en-Droit’ from the University of Yaoundé.

As a respected strategist and legal expert, Dr. Elombi has been instrumental in shaping Afreximbank’s institutional architecture. He played a central role in establishing several of the Bank’s subsidiaries, which expanded its capacity to meet Africa’s growing trade and industrial financing needs. Notably, as Chair of the Bank’s Emergency Response Committee, he spearheaded Afreximbank’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, successfully mobilizing over $2 billion to support vaccine procurement and deployment across African and Caribbean nations. Furthermore, under his leadership of the Equity Mobilisation and Investor Relations department, the bank remarkably raised $3.6 billion in ordinary equity by April 2025. His legal and governance expertise also proved crucial in shaping critical institutional frameworks, including dispute resolution mechanisms vital for intra-African trade.

In his acceptance remarks, Dr. Elombi reflected on the Bank’s transformative journey and reaffirmed his profound commitment to its vision. “I have worked alongside remarkable colleagues and extraordinary leaders to help shape this institution’s vision, its mandate, as well as its growth,” he stated. Looking to the future, he articulated his vision for Afreximbank as “a force for industrialising Africa and restoring dignity to Africans wherever they may be,” pledging to “preserve and grow this important asset.” He also committed to advancing the ambitious vision set by his predecessor and the shareholders: to transform Afreximbank into a $250 billion institution over the next decade, emphasizing its role in trade finance, industrialization, and fostering pan-African economic resilience. Dr. Elombi’s ascent signals continuity, with insiders noting his deep institutional knowledge and extensive experience within the bank.