The board and management of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) have extended their heartfelt congratulations to Dr. George Elombi on his appointment as the new President and Chairman of the board of the African Export-Import Bank (Afreximbank).
Dr. Elombi, a Cameroon national who joined Afreximbank in 1996, was announced as successor to Prof. Benedict Oramah at the conclusion of the Bank’s Annual General Meeting (AGM).
Over nearly three decades, Dr. Elombi has played an instrumental role in strengthening Afreximbank’s governance structures, legal and institutional frameworks, and in spearheading crisis response strategies across Africa and the Caribbean.
In its congratulatory message, SEDC praised Prof. Oramah’s transformative decade of leadership, which elevated Afreximbank into a global leader in trade finance, industrialization, and regional economic resilience.
Speaking on behalf of the Commission, Dr. Sylvester Okonkwo, FCAI, Executive Director, Corporate Services, highlighted the alignment between Afreximbank’s mission and SEDC’s vision for the sustainable development of the South East region of Nigeria.
“At SEDC, our vision is firmly anchored in driving sustainable socio-economic development, stimulating industrial growth, entrepreneurial innovation and building resilient infrastructure to promote regional integration,” Dr. Okonkwo stated.
He further noted that Mr. Mark Okoye II, SEDC’s Managing Director/CEO, “is poised for synergy in an era defined by transformative partnerships and innovative financing, with the aim of unlocking the untapped economic potential of our dear region.”
The SEDC expressed optimism that under Dr. Elombi’s leadership, Afreximbank will deepen its commitment to empowering African economies and catalyzing meaningful development initiatives across African countries.
“The South East Development Commission once again congratulates Dr. George Elombi and looks forward to exploring opportunities for collaboration to advance shared objectives of sustainable growth, trade facilitation and prosperity for the South East and the African continent at large,” the statement said.